


All the Missing Pieces

by FireBallin17



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Bumblebee - Freeform, F/F, Family, Fluff, Heavy Petting, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Minor Whiterose, No Smut, Post-Graduation, Repression, Romance, Set in Remnant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-11 10:58:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16474277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireBallin17/pseuds/FireBallin17
Summary: It takes a few goes before Blake can finally lift her eyelids, and when she does, she’s bombarded by doctors and questions and tests.How long had she been asleep? And why was Yang holding a baby?





	1. Blake Up Call

**Author's Note:**

> Set in an AU where Ozpin defeated Salem in an earlier incarnation. This fic is based around a sexual assault but it's not super (y)angsty like you'd imagine. It's mostly a romance/family fic.
> 
> Yes, the chapter title is a pun. Yes, all the chapter titles will be puns. Yes, I am proud of myself.

_Jane Doe, blunt head trauma, fractured jaw, broken Annula'ris and Me'dius of the right hand and severe bruising to the ribs; possible fractures._

Her body feels unnaturally heavy; that’s the first thing she’s aware of. Everything is cloudy, and her eyelids feel like they’ve been sealed shut. Her mouth feels like she’s been sucking on cotton balls for the past few days and when she peeks a tongue out to run along her bottom lip, she hears a faint gasp from somewhere close by. She groans softly and gives up trying to decipher anything other than the overwhelming need to sleep. She concedes because it’s easier than trying to remember why she feels like this in the first place.

_There were no witnesses, but from her injuries, it’s likely she was ambushed and beaten. There’s something else…_

When she comes to, she notices a rhythmic beeping sound. She feels something placed against her left palm and a soft voice telling her to squeeze. She tries, but she can barely even get her fingers wrapped around the object — is that a finger? She wants to apologise, but her mouth isn’t working either. She doesn’t even try to consider the effort it will take to get any kind of sound out.

_Blake. Blake, I’m so sorry._

The finger in her palm is gone. Had she fallen asleep again? The periodic beep is there still, along with the even, rich tones of a familiar voice.

“The doctor says you’re improving, Blakey. You have no idea how relieved we are. Dr Oobleck apparently stopped past for a visit this morning. Nurse Sable said he tried to bring a bouquet of nightshade flowers in with him. I mean, I get it, cause like, your last name. But seriously, he tried to bring in a bunch of poisons flowers as a ‘Get Well’ gift. Into a hospital, no less. Even I’m not that dumb.”

She feels warm and safe while she listens. She doesn't try to respond, and while she struggles to recall the face that belongs to the voice, the effort doesn’t bother her too much. She knows deep in her chest that this person is important to her, so she rides that feeling and reaches out her fingers as far as she can.

She feels warm hands encase her own and the voice draws closer.

“I guess you can hear me, then.” 

Droplets of lukewarm water splash against her forearm, and she feels warm breath tickle her palm. The small smile that tugs at her lips takes no effort at all.

_…we found signs of intercourse…_

_…no evidence of forced entry. She was likely unconscious when it happened._

When she wakes up again, she’s finally able to blink her eyes open, and she realises that hours must have passed since Yang is now lying over her with that messy blonde mop of — YANG! 

She feels groggy and weak but manages to lift a hand to weave fingers through thick, blonde tresses of hair.

“Blake,” she sighs and slowly lifts her head to meet bleary amber eyes. There’s a brief pause as their eyes connect, and recognition passes through them. Then, like she’d been struck by lightning, Yang bolts upright and stares at her in shock before leaning over to mash the red “call” button beside Blake’s bed.

“Are you… Are you awake?” She asks hopefully.

“Do I usually sleep with my eyes open?” she responds dryly. Her voice is nothing more than a raspy whisper, but that doesn’t surprise her judging by the amount of effort it took to get the words out.

Yang bites her bottom lip, and her eyes immediately fill with tears.

“You’re awake,” she breathes as a sob forces its way through her lips. Words fill Yang’s mouth, but nothing comes out, so Blake just watches for a moment while the blonde gawks at her like a goldfish. The reaction is somewhat alarming; while her partner is a very expressive person, she can count on one hand the times she’d witnessed her cry. But forcing answers from an emotional Yang doesn’t seem like a particularly insightful move. 

Before Yang can formulate a response, they’re interrupted by a small cough and a high-pitched sneeze. The blonde glances down and Blake follows her gaze over the hospital bed. The sound comes from a tiny bundle of orange blankets which is resting in… is that a baby bouncer?

Yang hastily wipes her eyes with the sleeve of her baggy, yellow sweater and reaches down to fuss with the blankets in the baby seat. The only conclusion that Blake can draw is that… Yang is babysitting?

A woman in her mid-40s rushes into the room. She looks surprised but happy to see Blake’s eyes open and immediately reaches for a clipboard at the end of the bed. She’s tall and slim with crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes. She has straight black hair and a warm smile.

“Dr Coal!” Yang croaks as she straightens up, now holding the swaddle of blankets in her arms. She bounces it slightly, and Blake watches as a tiny hand reaches out and clutches onto the collar of her jumper. 

“Hello, Yang. Hello, Blake. It’s good to finally meet you. I’m Dr Coal. I was assigned to your case the night you were admitted to Vale Medical Centre,” she explains calmly. She’s soft-spoken but articulates her words precisely, making it easy to understand her, despite the mild volume of her voice.

“How are you feeling?” She asks as she makes a note in the file she’s holding. Blake follows the doctor with her eyes and takes a long time to compose an answer.

“Confused?” she rasps, glancing over at Yang who’s now avoiding her gaze, eyes firmly on the little body in her arms. “And thirsty,” she mumbles. Her partner immediately grabs a plastic cup to press against Blake’s lips. She takes a small sip, letting the icy water swish around her cottony mouth before swallowing. 

“That’s to be expected. You’ve been through quite a lot,” she says as she pulls a cabinet on wheels over towards the bed. “Do you mind if I run through some quick tests?” she asks as she pulls out a light pen and a reflex hammer, holding them up to Blake.

“Um, sure?”

“You’re probably going to feel quite tired, still. Your brain is still adjusting,” Dr Coal murmurs as she plonks down on a stool and rolls over to sit opposite Yang.

“Okay, look to the left…” she instructs as she switches on the penlight and shines it into Blake’s eyes, one after the other. “and to the right,” she continues, moving the beam of the pen in and out from her direct field of vision.

“Excellent. Squeeze my fingers.” She places an index finger into Blake’s palm. “Now this hand…”

Blake forces herself to focus on the doctor and not on Yang who’s quietly talking to the bundle in her arms.

“What did I tell you about pulling my hair, little one? You know how I feel about that,” she murmurs with amusement in her voice. “You’re probably ready to be fed, though. I bet you’re hungry after that ginormous nap you just had.”

Dr Coal checks her reflexes before sitting back in her stool with a soft sigh.

“Everything seems normal. I’m happy with how you’ve responded to stimuli so far, Blake. But, by this point, you probably want to know why you’re in here, to begin with. Unfortunately, this information might be a little difficult to process. A lot has happened since you were admitted to VMC and this will no doubt feel very overwhelming at first. But you should know that you have a lot of support. You have friends and family that care very deeply for you, and there are always staff here at the VMC that want to help in your recovery.”

A feeling of dread begins to settle in the pit of Blake’s stomach. 

“Blake, you’ve been in a coma for 14 months.”

…What?

“Usually, comatose patients don’t show signs of improvement after the four-week mark, but we started noticing increased brain function about a week ago, and your condition has been improving since then.”

She’d been in a coma for over a year? At least that explains the muscles weakness.

“What’s the last thing you remember before waking up here?”

This causes Blake to pause, and a deep scowl sets into her features. She scans her brain, trying to line up her memories in chronological order. Graduation, the after party, making out with Yang— wait! That had happened, hadn’t it? Yang had kissed her at their graduation party… and then asked her out and Blake had agreed. She had been so confident in her response that she had squeaked out her reply before Yang could even finish her sentence. She feels her cheeks heating up but shakes that from her thoughts.

She recalls packing up their dorm room, moving boxes into a new apartment, one across the hall from Yang’s new place. And their date… she remembers Yang knocking on her door with a bouquet of sunflowers, cheeks as red as Ruby’s hood, and asking her out to dinner that evening. And then… nothing. She remembers feeling giddy and smitten but nothing after that. It’s just… gone.

“We were supposed to go out for dinner a few days after graduation; just the two of us,” she murmurs, glancing over at Yang whose eyes flicker red around the edge of her irises, but still refuses to meet Blake’s stare. “I don’t remember what happened after that.”

That realisation raised the question: what had happened that put her in a 14-month long coma?

She doesn’t want to ask. She needs to know, that much is true, but when she tries to ask, the words get stuck in her throat.

“Okay, that’s normal for the type of head trauma that you suffered. More might come back with time, but most people in these sorts of situations only recover partial memories. I’m going to schedule you for a CT scan and an MRI to check your brain function. There are also some things you need to know about what happened to you, Blake.”

That feeling of dread worsens, threatening to bubble up from her stomach and into her throat.

“It’s my obligation, as your doctor, to make sure that you’re informed of the incident that occurred on the night of your admission. But I also think it would be beneficial to hear it from someone you trust. I need to call your parents and inform them that you’re awake. In the meantime, perhaps Yang can answer some of your questions. I’ll be back a bit later to check in and explain the full extent of your injuries,” Dr Coal explains.

“Thanks, Doc,” Yang mumbles, and Dr Coal gives a soft smile towards the two of them before leaving the room. 

Suddenly, she feels overwhelmingly tired. She glances down at her hands and nibbles nervously on her lower lip.

“You parents have been in Vale for the past few days. They flew in from Menagerie when the doctors told us you were showing increased brain activity.” Yang explains but doesn’t offer much else. Blake nods gently, finger brushing over a string of small scars on her right index and ring fingers. They weren’t there before. She assumes it happened during whatever incident landed her in a hospital.

“Whose baby is that?” she asks softly, and Yang heaves a heavy sigh, reaching for a bag by her feet and taking out a bottle full of milk. With the baby nestled into her left arm, and obscured by blankets, she pops open the lid and offers it to the baby. Little hands reach out and clutch at Yang’s fingers as she holds the bottle.

“There’s probably some other things I should explain first,” she says as the blankets loosen around the baby’s face with the movement. Blake sees tufts of black fur peeking out, and two small appendages that are undoubtedly ears. A Faunus? Why is Yang looking after a Faunus child?

“You never showed for our date that night. You didn’t answer your phone, and you weren’t in your apartment when I came home. I was freaking out, but I didn’t know what to do. No one had heard from you. I was about to go to the police when I got a call from the hospital. I was your emergency contact, and they told me you had been brought in by a stranger that found you unconscious in an alleyway. When I got there, you were in surgery.

“There’s no easy way to tell you this, Blake. You came in with a broken jaw, broken fingers and a couple of broken ribs. You had a bad head injury, and they had to cut away a piece of your skull to try and relieve the swelling in your brain. But the worst part is that they found evidence of sexual intercourse. They said there was no blood or tearing, so you were probably already unconscious when it happened.”

Yang’s dazed expression morphs into anger, but she bites her lip and shakes her head, tears spilling down her cheeks.

“They beat you unconscious and then raped you,” Yang hisses through a sobbing hiccup. 

She’d been raped... and the baby; How old was it? 

The idea strikes her harder than the realisation that she’d been sexually assaulted. She fumbles with the bed covers, throwing them off her legs, then hastily pulls the hospital gown up around her stomach, not even caring that she’s naked underneath.

A long, dark surgical scar runs the width of her abdomen, about three inches below her belly button.

She stares at the mark for a long time, fingers winding into the material of the flimsy gown. The heart rate monitor beside her picks up slightly, but after a moment, she merely readjusts the hem and settles back against the pillows. 

She’s not sure how to respond. She has a kid. She’d been beaten and raped while unconscious; ended up pregnant and in a 14-month long coma. She should be mortified. She’s certainly upset but the feeling is muted; like the anger and hurt has been muffled under six foot or dirt —or maybe just months of oblivion. 

Yang seems to snap herself out of her angst rather quickly, and it reminds Blake that while it’s been over a year, the wound is obviously still very raw. She suddenly realises that Yang had pulled the short straw. 

“I’m sorry,” the blonde croaks and licks her lips, pulling an empty bottle away from the infant and placing it on the side table next to her. Blake finally has a chance to inspect the tiny Faunus as Yang lifts him up to perch his chin in the crook of her hand.

Two little black ears protrude from thick, black hair. His face scrunches up as Yang begins to gently tap his back. Amber eyes squeeze shut, tiny, pink lips purse together, and a small button nose wrinkles in distaste before a soft burp escapes his mouth.

She rests him back into the crook of her arm, and he watches Blake with wide eyes. Yang’s clammy hand slips over her thigh, and she doesn’t hesitate to lace their fingers together tightly.

They sit together for a while, and she watches lavender eyes that now openly gaze back She loses herself in the trance of Yang’s warm aura while her gaze drifts back and forth between amber and lilac.

“His name is Felix,” Yang whispers as Blake closes her eyes. “He’s a pretty great little dude. Even peed on Weiss the first time she tried to change his diaper,” Yang recalls, and Blake feels a smile tug at her lips as she imagines it. It was probably the last diaper she’d ever change.

“I feel… neutral,” she admits softly as she leans further back into the bed pillows. “It all seems so far away, all the distress and sadness. I think it’s because you’re here with me,” she murmurs. She feels the heat on her cheeks from the admission, but she doesn’t want to feel like a little girl with a crush anymore, so she ignores it.

“I’m here for you, Blake. Ruby and Weiss, too. We’re going to get through this together,” Yang assures her. She’s somehow burnt up whatever energy she started with; feels herself dipping into sleep again.

“You can rest now, Blakey. We’ll be here to watch over you. I promise I won’t leave your side.” 

Yang’s promise is the last thing she hears.


	2. Catatonic Nascence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's kind of short but the next is much longer

_“She’s pregnant.”_

_…_

_“You’re joking.”_

_“I wish I were, but we ran the test three times, just to be sure.”_

_“What the fuck do you mean, she’s pregnant?” Yang erupts, and Weiss quickly scolds her for bad language while Ruby gently takes a limp hand._

_“I’ve booked her in to see an OBGYN later this afternoon to determine how far along she is. But, since you’re adamant that she wasn’t sexually active before the sexual assault, I’d hazard a guess that she’s about six weeks in.”_

_They’re all silent. For a moment, Yang doesn’t even remember how to formulate a response that isn’t violent swearing and death threats against the bastards that did this._

_Weiss clears her throat when it becomes apparent that Yang isn’t going to answer._

_“What options do we have?” she asks curtly, but the quiver in her voice is poorly masked._

_Dr. Coal releases a heavy sigh._

_“We can terminate the fetus. That would be my first suggestions.”_

_“No. It’s Blake’s body. We can’t decide that shit for her.”_

_“Yang, she can’t make those decisions for herself right now. You were listed as her medical proxy. You **must** make these decisions for her. She’s trusted you to do so.” Dr. Coal explains softly. _

_“What other options are there?” Weiss asks._

_“We can let the pregnancy progress, but it’s not recommended with the state she’s in. I understand how difficult this must be and you don’t have to decide straight away; she’s only six weeks in. But anywhere after 16 weeks, the risks of complication start to increase dramatically. At 20 weeks, it’s no longer legal to terminate a viable fetus.”_

_“Then we wait. She can decide for herself when she wakes up,” Yang resolves firmly. There’s an uncomfortable pause as Yang continues to stare at her hands, ignoring the worried glances her teammates share with Blake’s physician._

_“Yang, it’s been six weeks. I feel obligated to remind you that the chance of cognitive recovery after four weeks is—”_

_“Slim. Yeah, you mentioned. But it’s not zero. What kind of a partner would I be if I gave up on her like that? If I stop believing that she could wake up then we might as well pull the plug,” Yang says sadly._

~

When Blake opens her eyes again, her gaze immediately finds tired lilacs. She’s standing in the corner in the same yellow sweater, arms crossed over her chest. She smiles at Blake before letting out a loud yawn. 

She feels her eyes being drawn to another set in the room. Curious, matching amber gazes back. He’s sitting in her mother’s arms, hunched into a ball while he sucks on his toes.

“Blake!” The voice is even and deep; brings the feeling of being cuddled in big bear arms as a child.

“Dad,” she smiles, and he’s immediately on her, hugging her awkwardly from her position in bed. 

“Oh, my baby girl,” Kali gasps as she lurches forward. Yang quickly takes Felix as Kali practically throws the infant into her arms and she’s suddenly encased in the awkward but comforting embrace of her parents.

After a while, they release her but never move far enough to let go of her hands. They talk about the events of the past year, discuss the rehabilitation plan that Dr. Coal had dropped off earlier and every few minutes, Kali leans in and wraps her in a tight hug.

Blake’s attention is split between her parents and Yang who sits in a chair by the window and alternates between watching her partner and fussing over the child in her arms.

What surprises her though, is no one has asked if she wants to hold him. In fact, no one has suggested that she even acknowledge him. He’s her biological son, but maybe no one had expected her to truly accept him as her own.

“What are Felix’ living arrangements?” She asks suddenly, and Yang’s head springs up like a jack in the box.

“Oh. Um, I offered to look after him after he was born. He’s like, still legally your son but I figured we could sort all that out when you woke up,” Yang says. Blake assumes she leaves out the end of her sentence intentionally; the part where they could sort it out when she decides if she wants him or not.

She doesn’t think Yang will put the child up for adoption, not after spending five months together. They have undoubtedly bonded if the way they respond to each other is any indication. He seems to react positively to her parents too, which means they’ve probably had some influence in his development so far. If he lives with Yang though, was she planning on raising him, even if Blake turns him away?

Even though she hasn’t so much as touched him yet, she can feel a strong sense of maternal responsibility tug at her heartstrings. It not his fault that he was conceived during a horrific act of violence. How could she ever turn him away? No, she won’t punish him for something he never had control over in the first place.

If her CT and MRI scans come back without showing issues, she will be discharged later that week, which leaves her to wonder about her own living arrangements.

“What happened to my apartment?”

“Uh, well, when the lease ran out, we kind of just shifted all your things into my place,” Yang explains. “Ghira and Kali took some things back to Menagerie; like textbooks and furniture. You hadn’t really finished unpacking yet, so it was kind of easy to just chuck all the loose stuff into boxes and cart it across the hall.”

She sighs. It seems she and Yang will need to have a very long and serious discussion, but that could wait until she was out of the hospital, at least. She doesn’t really want to have such a private conversation when any doctor or nurse could walk into her room at their leisure.

“You’re more than welcome to move in with me,” Yang says, breaking her out of her thoughts. “Until you find a new place or, you know… indefinitely,” she murmurs. Blake’s cheeks tinge pink, and Kali gives her a sly smirk.

It had briefly crossed her mind; what if Yang had found someone else? She hadn’t expected Yang to jump straight back on the horse, so to speak, but 14 months is surely enough time to grieve and move on— at least, from her; the same couldn’t be said for Blake if their positions were reversed. She doesn’t think she’d ever really get over Yang if they were forced apart.

But Yang apparently wants to pick up their relationship where it had left off, maybe even skip a few steps since she basically just asked Blake to move in with her. But then she remembers, it's been 14 months for Yang; it had only been an instant for Blake. Again, she thinks if their roles were reversed, Blake would probably be scared to even let her sleep. 

She gives an enthusiastic nod in response before glancing down at Felix who is back to sucking at his toes. Yang supports his awkward posture with a hand on his upper back and another on his behind.

“Can I hold him?” she asks softly, and Yang’s lips split into a grin.

“Yeah,” she nods as she stands, his tiny body still arched in her hands. She carries him like she’s carrying a basketball and the image makes Blake smile. “I think he’s pretty keen to meet you,” she says as she slowly lowers him into Blake’s lap. She takes him into her arms, loosely cradling him against her chest. He glances up at her and gives her the biggest, mouth splitting grin she’s ever seen on a baby. Her heart seizes, and he reaches out a dainty hand to rest against her cheek. 

She’s immediately smitten, and she stares down lovingly at him while gently stroking the fur from one of his ears between her thumb and forefinger. He gurgles and shoves half a fist into his mouth, sucking on his fingers with a long sigh as he closes his eyes and snuggles further into her skin. Within moments, a soft purr breaks through the comfortable silence, the high-pitched rumble clearly coming from the young Faunus’ throat.

“Well, I guess he remembers you, then,” Yang smiles from the end of her bed.

Blake beams at her through the tears in her eyes and lets out a soft giggle.

“Yeah. I guess he does.”


	3. Pawsible Expectations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a bit longer but I won't be able to post again over the weekend.
> 
> See ya'll in a few days and thanks for the comments and kudos!

_“I can’t do it. I won’t.” Yang is resolute in her decision, but Weiss knows her emotions are getting the best of her._

_She knows why Blake chose Yang as her Medical Proxy; Yang knew Blake better than anyone, arguably better than even her parents. But Yang was also prone to making decisions with her heart while ignoring her head. It was something that made Ruby a successful leader; she had her sister’s heart and a mild temper to accompany it— something Yang undoubtedly lacked._

_Because of this, Weiss avoids questioning Yang’s motives for refusing the abortion._

_“Yang… this is a big deal. Have you even thought about what to do with the baby once it’s born?”_

_“I don’t know. I still have like, five months to figure it out, yeah?” Yang says as she plays with Blake’s fingers._

_“Only about three, actually. Because of the unusual circumstances, a C-section will be scheduled at about 28 weeks. If you go through with it, we need to get the baby out of her as soon as we can to avoid as many complications as possible,” Dr. Coal explains._

_They’re standing around Blake’s room. Weiss has started visiting with Ruby more and more often if only to mitigate Yang’s temper towards the doctors and nurses who were attending to their comatose friend._

_The blonde has been on edge since Blake’s pregnancy reveal, the red never leaving her irises entirely. She’s left the hospital a grand total of four times since then, and it was starting to deteriorate her composure beyond what Ruby and Weiss could control._

_“Won’t delivering them premature cause complications with the baby, though?” Ruby asks from her seat opposite Yang._

_“It’s a balancing game. We take risks on one side to alleviate risks on the other. This is why I’m recommending the termination.”_

_Weiss takes a deep sigh and glances over at the blonde who doesn’t seem interested in the conversation anymore. She’s made her decision; she doesn’t need to listen anymore. She moves behind the quiet girl and places a hand on her shoulder._

_“Yang. I know you’re trying your best to honour what Blake would want. But perhaps you should reconsider the abortion if only to avoid putting extra stress on her body.”_

_Yang only shakes her head, and after a second, she glances up at Weiss with tear-filled eyes, an image that shocks the heiress. She had never seen Yang look so vulnerable before; so lost._

_“Weiss, this kid, it’s a part of her. I don’t care if everyone else sees it as a reminder of her assault, I can’t destroy something that that’s half Blake!”_

_Weiss stares at her for the longest time, and it takes an enormous effort to swallow the lump that’s formed in her throat. She looks down at Yang’s hand, still entwined with Blake’s fingers, and places her own on top of them._

_“Okay. We will figure this out then; together,” she agrees. Ruby’s hand joins the pile from across the bed a second later._

_She gives them a sad smile and says, “Team RWBY, all the way.”_

~

When Blake is finally released, six days after she regained consciousness, they form a convoy from the hospital to Yang’s apartment.

“Do you still have your motorbike?” Blake asks as she watches Yang buckle Felix into his baby seat.

“Oh, Bumblebee? Yeah but she’s in a storage unit downtown. I haven’t really had time to ride her since this little guy’s been around,” She says as she throws a blanket over him. He grabs onto the burnt orange material and immediately stuffs it into his mouth.

“Weiss bought this enormous thing the week after he was born,” She explains as she slides into the driver seat of her silver Touareg SUV. 

“She bought you Ⱡ50 000 car?” Blake asks incredulously, already buckled into the passenger seat. Yang chuckles.

“Yeah. Weiss has helped a lot financially. Since I haven’t had a lot of time to go on hunts and missions, Weiss and Ruby have been helping however they can. I tried to turn them down to begin with, but Weiss kept arguing that they were your teammates just as much as I was. So, she kind of took over the financial side of caring for Felix. She even paid out the lease on your apartment.”

Blake is shocked, but she knows she shouldn’t be. Weiss has money, and despite her cold exterior, she was one of the most considerate and caring friends Blake had ever had. It made sense that Ruby and Weiss would help Yang however they could.

“By the way, I hope you don’t mind living next door to them,” Yang says as she turns down a side street filled with suburban-style houses. Had Yang moved? Maybe she had moved to a more child-friendly apartment.

“Of course not. I spent four years in a tiny dorm room with them,” Blake answers.

“Okay, good. Cause Weiss kind of bought a set of townhouses so we could be closer to each other, for Felix… and well, closer to the hospital, for you,” she says as she pulls into a driveway of a very modern looking set of houses, joined in the centre wall. 

“Of course she did,” Blake sighs but her heart fills with warmth at the knowledge.

Yang hops out of the driver seat and runs around to grab Blake’s wheelchair from the back. She’d been told she had undergone ‘neuromuscular electrical stimulation’ every day to stop severe muscular atrophy but her limbs were still weak from disuse, and her legs couldn’t support her full weight without assistance. 

Blake pulls herself out from the passenger seat and gently lowers down into the wheelchair, suppressing a smile at the way Yang watches her, fingers twitching to help. She gets Felix out from the back seat once she’s settled and hands him over to Blake, so she can wheel them up to the front door.

Weiss’ white Tesla S pulls into the driveway beside them, and she struggles to bite back a giggle at the visual of her father sitting in the backseat. She’s surprised he was even able to fit in the first place. He steps out, and it almost looks like his muscles unfold from the way he relaxes into a stretch. 

Ruby bounds over to them, her cape swishing in the light breeze. She’s briefly worried that she’ll try to sit in Blake’s lap, since it had been an endeavour to get out of Ruby’s smothering embrace when she and Weiss first came to visit her since waking up.

Instead, she just kneels in front of her and makes faces at Felix while Yang rummages around her oversized baby bag for the house keys. Felix reaches out towards Ruby, and the younger girl looks visibly torn.

“Here,” Blake says as she holds him out towards her. Ruby bites her lower lip and carefully takes Felix into her arms, glancing up quickly towards Weiss who’s making her way over with a scowl.

“Ruby, what did I tell you about letting Blake bond with him?” she scolds.

“It’s fine, Weiss. My arms are actually getting a bit tired anyway,” she lies, smiling at the way Ruby immediately lightens up.

“Fine. But don’t run off with him like you usually do,” she says with a huff. Yang finally gets the door open, and the younger girl rushes inside with the tiny faunus, causing Weiss to call out angrily and storm in after them.

“You okay?” Yang asks softly, and she responds with a nod and a smile.

The entryway is wide with a door on either side. On the right is a large, uncased opening that leads into what Blake assumes was initially a formal lounge. There’s a sofa on the front wall beneath a large window and on the opposite wall —where one would usually expect a matching sofa or TV unit— is Felix’s cot and a cube shelf filled with books, toys, and boxes holding baby clothes. There’s a small hamper hanging on the end of the crib and a changing table in the corner. A baby gym is set up in the centre of the room with toys littered around it. 

The door to the left is shut, and Blake assumes it’s Yang’s bedroom. The entrance expands into an open style living area with large glass doors that lead out into a small yard. Yang wheels her through and helps her sit on the couch, her body sinking into the soft cushions. 

On the far wall is a set of stairs and she hopes that there’s nothing on the second floor that she’ll need frequent access to. Outside, there’s small deck and an outdoor setting. Grass runs from the porch to the fence and across into Weiss and Ruby’s yard. She assumes there was originally a fence to separate the two houses, but they must have torn it down for convenience. 

Ruby is sitting on the floor in front of the couch with Felix and a collection of colourful blocks. There’s a bright yellow rug beneath them which looks ridiculously soft, and Blake can’t wait to sink her bare toes into the fabric.

“There’s a spare bedroom and a study upstairs, as well as another bathroom. Most of your stuff is up there, but I’ll bring it down, and you can use my room until you’re able to tackle the stairs a little easier,” Yang says as she starts to unpack the baby bag at the kitchen counter.

“Eventually, I was going to turn the spare room into Felix’s, but I wanted to be close to him while he was little, so we turned the front lounge into the nursery.”

Blake watches the blonde shift uneasily as she finishes with the bag and moves back over to the couch. Her mother and father are chatting in the kitchen to Weiss while the heiress fiddles with a coffee maker.

With a brief glance at Ruby, —who seems far too interested in a tub of MegaBloks than a 21-year-old should be— Yang shuffles closer and lowers her voice. “We can convert the study into a bedroom later on,” she says. She looks completely uncomfortable and Blake finally realizes what’s upsetting her: they hadn’t redefined their relationship. They had never really had a chance to, not with Blake still in the hospital.

She places her hand delicately on Yang’s thigh and rests her head against a muscular shoulder.

“I don’t think we’ll need to worry about that,” she says softly, and Yang visibly relaxes.

“You still want to like… date me?” she asks quietly and Blake giggles.

“Of course I do. Nothing has changed for me. It doesn’t feel like 14 months has passed,” she admits, the smile slipping from her face. “I should be the one who’s asking if you still even want _me_.”

“You definitely don’t need to ask that,” Yang says as she takes the hand on her thigh and laces their fingers together. “I’ll always want you, Blake. How could I not?” she smiles and places a quick kiss against her forehead.

“Yang, Blake. Tea or coffee?” Weiss calls from the kitchen.

“Coffee, please!” Ruby hollers enthusiastically.

“Absolutely not. You’ll never sleep if you drink it this late in the day. I’ve made you a tea,” Weiss answers without even looking up from the mug she’s stirring sugar into. Ruby pouts but it goes unnoticed, and she’s quickly distracted again by Felix who tumbles forward from his sitting position. She catches him, and he giggles, clutching at the red of her hood.

“Tea, please.”

“I’ll take a coffee,” Yang calls before turning back to her girlfriend. “There’s obviously a lot more we have to talk about, but for now, I’m just glad you’re home.”

Hours later, after her parents had retired upstairs —Yang had offered for them to stay in the spare room while they were in Vale— and Weiss and Ruby had shuffled out the back door and across to their own home, Blake sits nestled against the pillows on Yang’s bed, eyes scanning the book in front of her but mind unable to process the words. 

She feels agitated and highly alert, feline ears slanting at every tiny noise they pick up. She sighs and closes her book, placing it on the bedside table. 

Yang had disappeared into the ensuite with Felix about 10 minutes ago, towels and a set of clothes under her left arm while Felix sat on her opposing hip. She can hear muffled murmurs under the gushing sound of water; Yang talking to him while they bathe.

She wonders how she will go bathing by herself. The nurses had helped her shower before she was discharged and while it had been uncomfortable, she was relieved since she wouldn’t have to worry about it again until tomorrow.

Her mom can help while they’re in town. At least that way, she can avoid Yang’s help for another few days. She’s never been ashamed of her body and she’s far from being a prude (sharing a dorm and bathroom with Yang flushed that out of her quick smart), but she still feels vulnerable and a little shy, even if she does trust the blonde with her life. 

Yang comes out the ensuite with Felix a moment later, wearing nothing but a bra and a pair of women’s boxer briefs. Her hair is damp, face red from the hot water, and Blake takes a heavy swallow as the blonde smiles at her and walks across the hall to put a fresh diaper on the tiny Faunus in her arms. She doesn’t even realize she’s staring until Yang disappears down the hall, towards the kitchen. Clearing her throat, Blake picks up her book again, if only to hide the blood in her cheeks.

Yang returns a second later with a bottle. She plonks down next to Blake and cradles Felix to her chest, placing the milk on the side table while he snuggles into her skin. Blake sinks into the cushions a little further, lifting the book to shield her face, but her head tilts to the side so she can watch the two anyway, Felix’s petite fingers grabbing at the edge of Yang’s bra and slipping inside to rest over where her heart is.

He sucks on the fingers of his other hand and watches Blake watch him, a soft purr starting up within seconds.

“He was on a ventilator when he was first born,” Yang says, glancing over to Blake while Felix continues to vigorously suck at his hand. “You were only 28 weeks when they took him out of you. He was even smaller than they expected, and his lungs weren’t developed enough. They put him on steroids, and he stayed in the nursery for over a week. While he was in there, the nurses encouraged us to touch him; to hold his hand, stroke his cheek. So he would know he wasn’t alone.

“The nurses also said that skin on skin cuddles help with bonding, especially when they’re feeding,” she explains. “So, we kind of got into the routine of cuddling shirtless every night before bed. It’s especially nice since it’s been getting colder.”

Blake watches them with a smile. She still feels the heat in her cheeks but, she’s seen Yang in her underwear enough times that the shock doesn’t last long. 

“Do you want to feed him?” Yang asks suddenly, and Blake sits up carefully.

“Okay.”

“Cool. You should take your top off,” Yang says as she grabs the bottle on the nightstand.

“What?” Blake balks; her blush back in full force.

“Oh, well, you don’t have to. I just figured it would be a good time to bond,” the blonde says. Blake sighs and her shoulders relax in understanding.

“Unless… you don’t want to bond,” Yang continues, taking her silence as something other than acceptance. “We haven’t really had a chance to talk about what you want, now that you’re awake. No one expects you to be his mom if you’re not ready for it. We can work something out, whatever you decide.”

Blake reaches for the hem of the oversized shirt Yang had given her to sleep in. She pulls it up and over her head before reaching her arms out for the smaller faunus.

Yang hands him over and helps her settle him into her chest. She offers her the bottle and Blake presses the nozzle against his thin lips. He immediately latches on, one hand resting on top of Blake’s and the other curling into her loose hair.

“Come here and bond with me,” Blake whispers to Yang with a simper. The blonde flushes but scoots in closer to them anyway, slipping her arm around Blake’s waist and pulling them into an intimate snuggle.

“What do _you_ want? Everyone is so worried about me but, I feel like you’ve been forced into this situation with no room for your own desires,” she whispers up to her partner.

She again feels that Yang had drawn the short straw. She had lost over a year of her life, but Yang had been forced to make a decision that would result in sacrifice on either end. It wasn’t fair to assume that she was happy with how things turned out, just because she was the one who fronted the responsibility.

“I just want you,” Yang answers softly, and it’s so sincere that that Blake feels her heart clench in her chest as she gazes up into lavender. 

It’s so quick, but she catches it anyway, Yang’s iris’s flicking down to her mouth for an instant before coming back up. She can’t help herself. She leans in and presses their lips together in the softest kiss she had ever experienced. 

God, she didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to pull away or push forward; she just wanted drift in that brief second, suspended in the fluttering impression that expanded inside her chest.

Her whole life had been uprooted by the hands of a few aggressive, rapacious humans—at least, she assumed they were human. Given the matching faunus traits between herself and Felix, her attackers would have to be either human or feline descendent, the same as Blake.

But she didn’t feel uprooted. She felt grounded, engulfed in the mellow scent of lavender and milk. Yang’s warmth seeping in all around her, Felix’s finger pads gently kneading against her knuckles as he flexed his fist. She felt safe; stable.

“Would it be okay, for us to be a family?” Blake asks shyly. “I won’t give him up. He deserves to have two parents. But I don’t want to do this without you, Yang.” Her voice is so quiet, she’s not even sure Yang can hear her over the faint sound of Felix’s suckling.

“You don’t have to. He’s so important to me Blake because he’s yours. I was always prepared to take care of him, to be a parent to him. I _want_ to.”

“Okay,” Blake nods, relieved that they were on the same page. Apparently, neither had even bothered to turn it in the first place. “You’ll stay with me tonight then?”

Yang presses a smiling kiss against her temple.

“As long as you promise not to hog the covers.” 

Felix pulls away from the bottle and Blake realizes it’s empty. She learned very quickly that he was a speedy eater. Apparently, it was a good thing, since he was a lot smaller than most 5-month-old babies. 

His eyes were drooping as Blake handed the bottle back to Yang. She disappeared to put it in the sink and came back with a white, cotton wrap.

“Come on, squirt,” she muttered as she took him from Blake’s arms and laid him on the mattress. “Let’s get you wrapped up.”

Yang moved with practiced ease, swaddling him up into a tight bundle. “Okay, little purrito, say goodnight to mommy,” Yang says as she picks him up and faces him towards Blake. She beams at him and presses a kiss to his forehead. His eyes, barely open, blink a few times to try and fight the fatigue. Per usual, it doesn’t work. Bright ambers slip closed a second later, and Yang places him carefully into his crib across the hall.

A few moments later, when they are laying together beneath the covers, legs entwined, Yang presses a tender kiss against the warmth of her cheek. 

“Goodnight, Blakey. Welcome home.”


	4. Ice Blaker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that the chapter lengths are a so inconsistent. I tried to make them about the same length but it just worked out better to end chapters where it felt right to do so.
> 
> Thanks for the comments and kudos, as usual. Makes me feel warm and happy inside ^_^

_“Have you made a decision?”_

_Ruby’s eyes are pinned to the infant inside the incubator. Her fingertips graze against the bright pink skin of his arm, and then up to his cheek. She fiddles with the wisps of hair peeking out from his ears and smiles softly when they flicker in agitation._

_He looks so vulnerable and precious._

_Yang is on the opposite side of the incubator with a hand lightly resting on top of his chest, feeling his lungs slowly expand and deflate with the help of a ventilator._

_“God, I don’t know. All I can think right now is how much he looks like Blake… and that I really want to put paw shaped mittens on him,” she sighs, her words barely audible over the hospital drone inside the busy nursery._

_“I know it’s difficult, Yang, but you need to make a decision. You chose to bring him into this world, you need to choose what happens to him once he’s strong enough to leave the hospital.”_

_Despite Weiss’ stern tone and valid words, her eyes haven’t left his face since she first saw him._

_Piercing blues glimmer with an internal battle between rationality and overwhelming affection. It wasn’t just Yang who had become attached to the faunus infant so… instantly._

_Weiss’ expression is unfamiliar inside sharp, blue eyes but it’s an expression Yang had seen all too often on her sister._

_Ruby had been persistent in her quest for a pet when she was small and had often come home with some sort of animal she had found: lizards, cats, insects, mice —hell she’d even waltzed in with a corn snake coiled around her arm one evening. Each time, she sported that look in her eyes, gaze flicking between her new friend and her father, always followed by the exhausted question: “Can I keep it?”_

_Yang glances up at Ruby and, sure enough, there it is, matching right alongside her stoic, white-haired girlfriend. She looks back at the sleeping faunus infant. He gurgles, shuffling on his back, fingers twitching and flexing as he dreams._

_“It’s time to feed him. Would you like me to show one of you how to do it?” a nurse asks as she approaches the baby smitten trio._

_“I can do that,” Weiss offers indifferently. At the same time, Ruby enthusiastically yelps, “Oh, I’ll do it!” and despite everything, Yang begins to laugh._

_Later, after Weiss and Ruby had taken turns feeding him —Ruby practically shoving him into Weiss' arms with a bottle— Yang realizes that there wasn’t really a decision to make in the first place._

_“How do you guys feel about being aunts?”_

~

Blake wakes in a cold sweat, her breath laboured, and the cover tangled around her body. Disoriented panic washes over her brain as she struggles to free herself from the restraints. 

This had been the third night in a row that she’s woken up in frantic dread, without even knowing why. She doesn’t remember her dreams, and she can’t pick the cause of her panic. She assumes it’s related to the sexual assault, but she doesn’t know enough about psychological trauma to make an educated presumption. Can you even suffer from PTSD when you’re not conscious during the event? She can’t even remember leaving the house that night. _‘Still’_ can’t. 

Dr. Coal had told her that some missing memories leading up to the attack may come back to her, but it has been just under two weeks since she’d regained consciousness, already. Maybe she’s expecting too much. Maybe she’s not expecting enough. 

She glances over at Yang, who is fast asleep beside her; on her back, limbs stretched haphazardly across the mattress. Only her foot is left covered by the comforter, the rest of it was bunched up between them after Blake had deliriously tried to untangled herself. She snores softly, and Blake leans back against her pillows, listening to the perpetual draw and release of Yang’s lungs. During their first few weeks together at Beacon, the noise had driven Blake crazy, but as her affection for Yang grew, she had started to draw comfort from the sound. 

In her sleep, Yang flips over onto her front and throws a solid arm over Blake’s stomach in the process. She lets out one last, shaky breath and shuffles back under the covers. She listens to Yang’s breathing, tries to forget everything else.

Gradually, she dozes off again.

~

Weiss organizes a ‘Welcome Home’ party for the week following her return. She’d been opposed at first, but when she hears the heiress prattle off the guest list to Yang, she’s instantly reminded of her friend’s accommodating nature.

Jaune  
Pyrrha  
Nora  
Ren  
Sun  
Neptune

“I would have invited Blake’s parents, but they’re leaving tomorrow,” she says as she rinses out the bottle Felix had just fed from. It’s barely a party and more like casual gathering.

She’s sitting on the couch in Weiss and Ruby’s home, and it’s structurally identical to Yang’s —technically it’s hers now, too— but still so very different.

There are elements of Ruby all over the place, but mostly, the décor is all Weiss. It’s surprisingly homey though, and Blake suspects that has something to do with dating their younger, easy-going leader. Weiss had changed a considerable amount during their time together at Beacon, and the change was only exaggerated once the two of them had admitted their feelings for each other.

But she’s still an heiress with expensive taste, and that much is obvious.

“You know, leaving me in charge of alcohol means nothing but beer and tequila, right?” Yang smirks as Weiss fishes a credit card from her purse. She hesitates in handing over the plastic.

“Can you at least get some cider, as well? You know Ruby doesn’t drink beer, and heaven forbid we have another incident with tequila,” she sighs. Yang barks out a laugh and slips the card into her pocket.

“Okay, beer, cider, tequila and I’ll even get a bottle of cinnamon schnapps for your Highness. Blake, any preferences?” she asks as she collects her keys and wallet.

“No. I’ll probably just stick to soda, anyway.”

“What? No, come on. It’s your party,” Yang whines, and Weiss comes to join her on the couch, scroll in hand.

“What about Felix?” She frowns. Surely one of them will have to stay sober to watch their son.

“Dad’s coming over from Patch. Trust me, I’ve thought this through. You don’t have to drink if you really don’t want to but it’s your night. I don’t want you worrying about anything,” Yang says as she leans down and presses a kiss to her forehead. 

“Yang’s right, Blake. All you need to do is show up and relax. Leave everything else to us,” Weiss smiles.

“Except now I have to worry about meeting your father,” Blake teases, and the blonde scoffs, genuinely amused.

“Taiyang is nothing but an oversized teddy bear,” Weiss intercepts before Yang can make a similar comment. “He’s the least of your worries.” 

“Remind me to tell you about Weiss’ first meeting with dad, sometime,” Yang smirks as she straightens up and heads towards the door.

“I won’t be too long,” she calls over her shoulder.

“Yang!” Ruby calls as she comes bounding down the stairs with Felix in her arms.

“Yang’s gone to get drinks for Blake’s party,” Weiss says without even looking up from her scroll.

“Oh. Blake, then!” she shouts with as much energy as her first utterance. Felix mimics her with an enthusiastic screech and then a giggle. “We need a clean diaper, mommy,” she says as she comes and plonks down on the floor in front of them. 

“Oh, right,” Blake says as she grabs their nappy bag from the floor beside the couch. Yang had usually been the one to change dirty diapers and Blake was still a little clumsy, so she always made a mental checklist of everything she’d need before she even tried to remove his dirty nappy. She had quickly learned how difficult it was to find missing supplies once she had already started.

“What should I expect?” she asks as she rummages through the bag. Ruby lays a changing mat out on the floor and lays Felix down in the centre of it.

“Uh, like, breath through your mouth for a bit,” she suggests, plucking a clean nappy from the bag before Blake can even gather her bearings.

“Ruby, you don’t have to change him,” she says as the younger girl starts to rummage through the bag in Blake's lap. She pulls out wipes, baby powder, and a waste bag dispenser before laying it all out onto the floor by her knees.

“Hmm? Oh, that’s okay, I don’t mind. I’m kind of used to it,” she says as she hands Felix a soft rattle to distract him. She gets to work without hesitance, nimble fingers unclasping the adhesive snaps.

“Weiss helped out financially and Yang was basically his mom, so this is how I helped out while you were still in the coma,” she explains. “There were a lot of people around who offered to help out and babysit and stuff but like, Yang was exhausted for the first few months. Weiss was busy on a solo mission at the time so I kind of just started going over to Yang’s to hang out with him for a few hours every day. 

“She usually just slept while I was there, so I’d take him for walks around the yard or we’d play with his toys. He was too young to do much else, but I still had fun… All done!” She finishes as she snaps the strap of his clean diaper closed. She hands him to Weiss while she packs up, trotting off to dispose of the mess and wash her hands.

“She’s very good with children,” Weiss comments as she cradles the boy in her arms. She places a tender kiss between his feline ears.

“You say that as if you aren’t,” Blake smiles and her friend scoffs with a roll of bright blue eyes.

“I’m not.”

Felix giggles and presses a gentle hand against Weiss’s nose. She smiles down at him lovingly while pressing little kisses along his arm. He giggles in delight and tries to mimic Weiss’ kisses by smacking his mouth open closed a few times. It’s adorable and Blake takes her turn to roll eyes in sarcasm.

“Yes, that’s why he so obviously hates you.” 

“Tch. Felix is different somehow. I never really liked children before he was born, but I just felt this strange connection with him. Ruby says she felt the same the day we met him,” she mumbles with pink-tinged cheeks.

“It’s called unconditional love,” Ruby announces when she returns. Blake just smiles and leans back into the couch, watching her two best friends interact with her son.

She knows it’s wrong to judge others, but she wonders how anyone could give up their child. Her thoughts drift to Yang and her missing mother, and how grateful she is to the blonde for keeping him; for the sacrifices she’d made.

She’s grateful to Ruby and to Weiss, for being there when she wasn’t. 

Logically, she knows that she can’t be blamed for any of it, but deep down, she can feel a swirling sense of guilt for all that had happened. 

She tries not to dwell on it, thinks about how happy she is with Yang and Felix in her life, instead; knows she should just be thankful that things turned out as well as they had.


	5. Feline Anxious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments and kudos. I really appreciate them :)

The evening of the party, Yang dresses in black ¾ leggings and a long, pastel yellow dress shirt. It’s cinched at the waist with a matching belt and the top three buttons have been left open. Blake finds her eyes impulsively drawn towards the generous dip of cleavage whenever the blonde wanders past the bedroom, and Yang notices every time if the sly smirk she yields is any indication.

Blake only sighs and turns her body to hide the blush. She’s standing in pyjama shorts and one of Yang’s loose-fitted t-shirts, staring into their shared walk-in closet. Her hair and makeup are already done, and she knows picking an outfit for something so casual shouldn’t be difficult, but she’s overthinking it anyway. Yang is softly humming while she dresses Felix across the hall. When they join her a few moments later, she slips past with a roughish smile and grabs a lavender halter neck dress from the rack. 

Blake stares at the dress her girlfriend holds out and accepts it with a defeated sigh. She initially thought it would be too formal, but she can dress it down with some accessories. 

The V in the halter dips midway down her sternum, so she throws on a black singlet underneath and steals some of Yang’s leggings to go under the ruffling skirt that reaches her mid-thigh. She wraps a black belt around her waist and picks out a pair of plain, black ballet flats to complete the outfit. 

Yang nods in approval and places Felix down on the bed between two pillows, before reaching out for her.

Blake relaxes into Yang’s arms as she leans down to press their lips together. Between Felix and having her parents around, they had found little time to enjoy the intimacy of dating. But it was moments like these —where Yang seemed to drop everything else, just to bundle Blake up into her arms— that compensated for the times they hadn’t been able to physically express themselves.

Blake sighs into the kiss, slipping her arms under thick, blonde curls and around muscular shoulders. It doesn’t take long for Yang to grow inpatient, her tongue peeking out and running along Blake’s lower lip. The sensation causes Blake to gasp softly, and her girlfriend immediately takes the opportunity to slip a warm tongue in to meet the faunus’ own. 

She can feel an undeniable warmth spread through her stomach alongside Yang’s sweet mouth and the feel of fiery hands that ghost up her sides. All the blood rushes to her cheeks as Yang gently cups her breasts over the silky, lavender bodice. A short, breathy whine releases from her throat and Yang pulls her lips away, ever so slightly, to watch Blake’s eyes flutter open.

A sharp knock echoes through the hallway, and they jump apart like guilty teenagers. They stare at each other for a moment in shock before Yang bursts into giggles.

“That’s probably my dad,” she says as she goes to answer the door and Blake curses at the realization that she’ll now have to interact with Yang’s father while trying not to think about what had just happened —and ultimately, where she had wanted it to go.

She sucked in a large breath to settle her nerves before plucking Felix up from the bed and heading out into the hallway to meet her girlfriend’s father.

Taiyang grins wide when he sees her, and he immediately brushes past Yang to wrap Blake and Felix into a firm hug.

“Blake, it’s so good to see you,” he says as he pulls away. She’s a little shocked at the sincerity, but she really shouldn’t be considering whose father it was. 

“Alright dad, don’t scare her away. She’s technically never met you before,” Yang chuckles, placing a comforting hand over Blake’s shoulder.

“Right. Sorry. Yang mentioned you’re shy,” he says sheepishly before turning his attention to the infant in Blake’s arms. “And how’s my favourite little boy?” he coos. Felix smiles and reaches out to pat a hand against the stubble of Tai’s cheek. He yanks his hand away and giggles at the coarseness before reaching out towards the older man and whining softly.

“Yeah, Fe loves dad the most, for some reason,” Yang grunts as Blake hands him over.

“Yeah you do, cause you’re my little man, aren’t ya? With all these girls around, us boys gotta stick together,” Tai hums happily as he takes Felix into the living room.

Yang just shrugs her shoulders when Blake gives her a questioning glance, and they follow him down the hall.

“So, what time are you heading over?” Tai asks as he settles on the couch with Felix and a big picture book.

“In about 15 minutes,” Yang says as she glances at the clock on the kitchen wall. “You know, Weiss invited you to come as well,” she offers as she plonks down onto the couch across from him with her scroll.

“I know. But no one really wants their dad around at a party. Besides, I’m keen for some one on one time with my bestie,” he grins down. Felix awkwardly tilts his head to look up at Tai, as if acknowledging the comment, before turning back to the brightly coloured book in front of him.

“Suit yourself,” Yang shrugs.

“Um, Taiyang, would you like a drink?” Blake asks, standing by the kitchen bench. He glances up in surprise.

“Oh, no thank you, sweetie. I usually just help myself around here anyway, since my no-good daughter never offers,” the blond smirks at his daughter who barely spares a glance up from her scroll.

“You have legs…” she responds deadpan and Blake sighs disapprovingly as she goes to sit down beside her.

“See how your mother treats her father? Well, let’s see who has the last laugh. If you’re anything like your mom, she’s going to have some epic temper tantrums to deal with in a few years. Then we’ll see who comes crying to dear old dad for help in behavioural management,” Tai mutters with an impish grin. Felix just gurgles in response and traces the colours on the book with his fingers.

“Oh. I mean, should I still be calling you mum?” Tai grimaces, looking over at Yang who finally looks up from her scroll.

“Blake and I talked about it, and we decided it would be best if everyone started calling her mommy,” Yang says, and Blake is a little surprised at the disappointed tone in her voice until she sees the glint in those lilac eyes. For a moment, Taiyang looks borderline devastated but Yang doesn’t let him squirm for very long.

“And I’ll be mom. That way, he knows who we’re referring to when he gets a little older,” she grins mischievously, and Taiyang visibly relaxes.

“Geeze, you’re such a brat,” He grunts which only causes Yang to laugh. “Is she like this with you?” he directs the question towards Blake who gives an exasperated smile.

“All the time,” she laments playfully.

“Seriously though; we figured it would be better if he has two predominant parent figures. It just kind of makes sense that we do this together. Oh! And Blake and I are dating. I forgot to mention that part.” 

Blake tenses and feels her ears flatten against her head. Had she not already told him? Why would she drop something like that on him so casually?

“Oh,” he chirps, and Blake steels herself, waiting for the onslaught of vague disapproval. 

It never comes. 

Instead, he gives Yang a sly smile, and she rolls her eyes as if she already knows that his response is going to be lame.

“So, you finally admitted your… _felines_ for Blake then?” he grins proudly.

“Seriously dad, I’ve been friends with Blake for years now. I’ve pretty much exhausted the cat puns… _I’m pawsitive_ you can do better.”

“Hey now, no need to take that _cattitude_ with me, young lady.”

“But you ruined the _mewment._ I was about to tell you how Blake and I make a su _purr_ b couple.”

“I’m leaving,” Blake says blankly as she stands up. Yang and Tai both burst into giggles.

“Aw, come on, Blake, I’m sure we can _purrsuade_ you to stay,” Tai snickers.

“Yeah, Blakey, _pawlease_ stay and get to know my dad,” Yang grins and reaches out to grab her hand. She ducks away from the blonde and fights the grin that’s turning the corners of her mouth upwards.

“Nope. I’m out. There’s only so many puns a girl can hear before she starts to lose braincells,” Blake jokes and heads into the bathroom to put some finishing touches on her makeup. She can still hear them talking and laughing in the lounge until Taiyang’s tone softens and Blake can’t help but angle her ears towards the door.

“She seems like a nice girl, even if she doesn’t appreciate the superior Xiao Long humour.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Blake thinks I’m hilarious.”

There’s a brief pause, and Blake momentarily wonders if she shouldn’t be listening, but then, Yang knows the extent of her hearing. If she were worried about Blake hearing their conversation, she wouldn’t be having it in the first place. 

It’s a precarious line between trust and privacy; one she doesn’t mind crossing this time, but only because it’s Yang and because there are few secrets between them in the first place.

“Seriously though, how are you both holding up? You don’t feel that… maybe jumping back into a relationship is moving a little fast?” he asks quietly, and Yang gives a disinterested hum in response.

“We’re parenting a kid together. Kind of difficult to outpace that.”

“Right. But having a kid together doesn’t necessarily mean you’re well matched,” Tai mutters, causing his daughter to sigh. Surprisingly, there’s no agitation in her next words.

“Right. And you’re speaking from experience, I get it. But you don’t have to worry, dad. I know it doesn’t feel like much time has passed for her but, when we’re together, it’s like all the hurt and frustration from the past year was just a bad dream. She means everything to me. Like, I gave up a part of my life to raise her child, and I don’t even care; I don’t regret any of it.

“I want to spend my life with her; I don’t see why we should postpone a relationship when it just feels right to be together.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?” 

“Okay. You’re trusting your heart, and it’s kind of hard to argue with that when we’re talking about love,” Taiyang chuckles.

“Right…”

Blake finishes applying her mascara at the same moment her phone pings with a text alert. It’s from Yang, and when she opens it, her cheeks flush bright red. It’s nothing but pale yellow and smooth, white skin. The camera angle frames a prominent cleft that slopes into the edges of a lacy, black bra.

God, had Yang seriously just sent her a 'titpic' while her father was sitting right across from her?

She sends back a serious looking catface emoji which is quickly followed by a winking face from the blonde. The next message is one from Weiss, telling them to come over.

Blake slips her scroll into her bra and takes a few breaths in hopes of removing the blush from her cheeks.

“You ready?” Yang suddenly pops into the doorway with a wide grin spread across her face. “Ruby says Weiss is about to have an aneurysm because Sun showed up with a bottle of absinthe and a box of matches,” she smirks. Blake rolls her eyes. 

“Well that’s definitely not a disaster waiting to happen,” Blake says sarcastically, and Yang barks out a short laugh before winding an arm around her hip and leading her out the back door.

~

Blake spends most of the party sitting outside under the fairy lights that Ruby and Yang had hung around the garden. They had moved both couches into the yard for the night and kept the back doors to Weiss and Ruby’s lounge wide open with the dining table pushed against the wall and filled with a spread of snack food. 

While everyone moved freely between the lounge and the yard, Yang had stayed beside her, only wandering off a few times to fetch drinks and food. Blake had tried to get up earlier, but Yang had gently shoved her back into the couch cushions. It had been a little over a week since she’d left the hospital and, although she could stand without assistance now, it was still tiring to move around too much. 

She had refused to use the wheelchair anymore since it was more effort to get it set up than what it was to walk herself around the house, so she had insisted that Yang store it away upstairs; out of sight, out of mind.

As the night progresses, so does her state of inebriation. She doesn’t drink anything strong, but Yang is constantly refilling her cup with cider and weak margaritas. She feels pleasantly buzzed and can’t wipe the smile from her face as she watches Sun and Jaune wrestle on the lawn between the couches.

“If you break anything, I’ll have your heads!” Weiss calls from inside, and the boys scramble upright, ironically knocking a tall glass over as they do so. It hits the coffee table with a resounding crack, and the drink inside quickly soaks into the white table runner.

“Oh, shit!” Sun swears as he runs and volts into the bushes that line the back fence, leaving Jaune to look scared and flustered. 

“Off with their heads!” Yang mocks loudly. The blond leader scrambles after Sun, just as Weiss storms out into the garden.

“This is why we can’t have nice things,” Pyrrha chuckles as she helps Weiss clean up the mess. The glass hadn’t shattered, but there is a distinct crack that starts at the lip and curves around the circumference of the glass like a jagged spiral.

“I’m sentencing them to plastic cups from now on. They can drink out of Felix’s spare bottles for the rest of the evening,” she huffs, taking the cracked glass and soaked runner inside. Pyrrha follows her in, and Blake is left watching Yang as the blonde scoots impossibly close.

“Hey there, pretty kitty,” she grins. Her breath smells like alcohol, but it’s undeniably sweet; like lime and sugar. Blake can’t resist. She lunges forward and fuses their mouths together. Yang is surprised at first, but it only takes her alcohol buzzed mind a bare second to kick into gear. 

Yang’s tongue is almost immediately in her mouth, and Blake lets a low groan slip from her throat as she sucks greedily, slipping one hand to curl around her girlfriend’s neck. The other wanders up Yang’s thigh and winds into the fabric of her shirt above the swell of her hip. Yang breaks their lips apart to exhale a thick puff of air before eagerly diving back in again. 

Warm hands can’t seem to stay still. They start at Blake's face, cupping her jaw, thumbs stroking against her cheeks. From there, they dip down to rest against her thighs, edging under the hem of her dress. One circles around her leg and slowly slides up to cup her ass over cotton tights; the other presses restlessly against her ribcage. They’re getting carried away; she knows that much. But her mind is foggy with alcohol and kisses and god, Yang’s hands feel amazing, even if they’re not directly against her skin —and she’s suddenly cursing her decision to wear full-length tights under her dress.

The moment ends abruptly when Nora lands on the lawn by the back entrance with a loud thud. Several cries and shouts echo after it while Blake and Yang pull apart in surprise. 

They glance up to see Ren and Neptune’s heads peeking out from the balcony edge. Ruby comes speeding down the stairway a moment later, tripping over her own feet and landing at the bottom with a dazed grunt.

“Did she… did Nora just jump off the balcony?” Blake asks incredulously.

“What is wrong with you two?” Weiss demands a moment later, coming out from the kitchen with Pyrrha and helping Ruby back onto her feet. 

“Nora and I were racing to the kitchen but… she cheated,” Ruby explains with a bashful grin as Weiss straightens her hood.

“I didn’t cheat. You never said we had to take the stairs,” the redhead argues.

“Our friends are fucking insane,” Yang mumbles which sends Blake into a fit of giggles. Her body can’t decide whether to be frustrated, amused or sad. She’s not sure where the sadness comes from, but it seems to be mixed in with the twenty other emotions that are swirling around her head. 

She feels like she’s losing herself in the laughter and then, she’s not laughing at all. Her body moves the same until tears start to gather at the corners of her eyes.

Her first thought is that she’s not wearing waterproof mascara and tears are going to completely ruin her makeup. The next thought is that she’s still struggling to breathe, even though she’s not laughing anymore.

Yang notices and glances around quickly before taking her hand and leading them back towards their own house. She closes the sliding glass down behind them and wraps an arm around Blake’s waist.

“Try and slow your breathing, babe. Try and match your breath to mine,” she says quietly, taking slightly larger breathes, so the goal isn’t so unrealistic.

“You’re doing great. I love you so much. That’s it, just like that,” the blonde coos softly, reaching up to wipe away stray tears. Yang holds her gaze and together, they slow Blake’s breathing down to something that moderately resembles calm.

“Thank you,” Blake says as she sniffs and wipes at her eyes to fix any smudged makeup. “Do you?” she asks after a moment, her head against Yang’s chest. The blonde embraces her firmly, and Blake closes her eyes to listen to the heartbeat beneath her human ear.

“Do I what?” Yang asks.

“Love me.”

Yang chuckles like Blake is silly for even asking.

“Of course, I do. I always have,” she admits softly.

“Me too,” she whispers, pulling away to gaze up into soft lilacs, “I love you.” 

“I’d hope so. Since you have a kid with me, and all.” Blake rolls her eyes and gently punches the blonde in the shoulder.

“God, you had to ruin the mood, didn’t you?”

“I could never ruin the mood. Not when you’re around to set it, beautiful,” Yang grins flirtatiously which causes the faunus to roll her eyes in exasperation. Although to be fair, it works in the end because Blake leans in and kisses her tenderly, giving Yang exactly what she had been hoping for.

They stay like that for a few more moments before Blake pulls away.

“Come on, let’s go join the others,” she says as she leads Yang back towards the yard.

“Tell me when you’ve had enough, though. We can ditch early if you need to,” her partner says as they head back over to their friends.

Weiss is still fussing over Ruby who had apparently scraped her elbow during the ‘race’ with Nora. Sun and Jaune have re-joined the group, Jaune with twigs and leaves sticking out of his hair, both covered in scratches. Pyrrha plucks the vegetation from Jaune’s hair with a small smile while Neptune laughs at whatever the blond faunus is saying.

“Time for shots!” Yang announces as they approach, and Weiss lets out a sigh of relief.

“God, yes!” she says as she places an adhesive bandage over the cut on Ruby’s elbow. “I’m far too sober to handle you lot.”

“Yeah! And then RWBY vs. JNPR pong!” Nora declares as she and Ruby sprint inside. The rest of them follow, and Yang never lets go of Blake’s hand.


	6. Pending Incatceration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long. I’ve been busy the past few days and I rewrote a few scenes in this because I wasn’t entirely happy with it. 
> 
> Might be able to get another chapter up later. If not, hopefully tomorrow.

Blake quietly detests her therapy program.

Before the coma, she had been in pique physical condition. She trained six days a week alongside Yang, with an unspoken competition between them during workouts; a silent motivator to push harder, go faster, longer. 

Physical therapy makes her feel weak in comparison. She’s a huntress. She should be running circles around rogue Grimm and taking down criminal organizations; not mindlessly treading water in an aqua aerobics class with a group of retired seniors (and struggling by the end of it).

She doesn’t mind the one on one sessions with her trainer quite as much. Her PT is an energetic faunus with a sprightly tiger tail and bright, green eyes. He reminds her a little of Sun, and although the exercises are exhausting, and often frustrating, he always makes her feel like she’s making significant progress during their appointments.

What Blake hates the most about her therapy program, however, is the weekly, hour long appointment with her psychologist, Dr. Fawn. 

Dr. Fawn is a woman in her 30s, with four children of her own. She has light brown hair that reaches her shoulders and large brown eyes that appear black in most lighting. She’s friendly, quiet and moves with slow precision. Blake’s not sure if it’s intentional because of the type of people she works with, or if she naturally has an unthreatening disposition.

Yang always comes with her, and always sits patiently in the waiting room with Felix, so she at least has something to look forward to other than the 60th minute of the appointment. She knows there’s no reason for her to hate these sessions, and maybe she wouldn’t if she felt like she was actually getting something out of them. As it stands though, their conversations quickly enter an ambiguous loop.

Today, she brings Felix with her, since Yang has to run errands. The blonde had offered to take him, but Blake insisted, and Yang had quickly relented when she turned pleading, amber eyes up towards her. She had crumbled so quickly, Blake had almost laughed.

Felix sits quietly in her lap, his attention alternating between the soft rubber toy in his right hand and the lock of Blake’s hair in his left. They run through an unofficial list of questions, each phrased differently from one appointment to the next.

How is your relationship with Yang?  
How are you coping with motherhood?  
How is physical therapy?  
How do you feel about your physical progress?  
Are you still having nightmares?

The last one always throws her, even though she knows it’s coming. She doesn’t remember anything from the dreams that cause her to wake in distress, and she still hasn’t recovered any memories from the attack. She’s starting to wonder if she’ll remember them at all.

She had been told she was likely unconscious during the sexual assault, but there was more missing that lead up to the attack. 

The police hadn’t caught the men who had done this to her, mostly because they had no information to go on. They had taken a DNA sample the night of the rape, but no matches had come up in the system.

Either she is her attackers’ sole victim —a thought that Blake hangs onto with an iron grip— or no other victims had come forward.

“I feel numb a lot of the time,” Blake admits softly. “Only with negative emotions though. I feel so happy and safe when I’m with Yang and everyone else. But I often have this sense of dread in my chest, like something is wrong. Aside from the panic attacks, though, it feels... muffled. I don’t know how to explain it. Maybe I should just be happy that I’m not debilitated by hostile emotions,” Blake lets out a long sigh. “I feel like I should be more upset with what happened. I feel… broken.”

“Repression is a common coping mechanism, but it’s not a healthy one. You’re not broken, Blake; your mind is trying to protect itself. The emotions are still there, but you won’t get closure about the event if you don’t express them. Perhaps we can start doing some exercises that encourage expression; train your mind to tap into those subdued feelings and then to release them.

“Emotions are there to be expressed. When you repress these feelings, they build up and eventually boil over. In your case, this happens in the form of an anxiety attack. It’s why cleansing negative emotions is so important, especially in people with emotional trauma.” 

Blake leaves the office with Felix in his stroller and a book about neuroplasticity. Yang is waiting in her usual seat, thumbing through a lifestyle magazine. She springs up the moment she sees Blake.

“Ready to jet?” she asks with a broad smile. Blake nods and settles underneath Yang’s arm as they take the elevator to the bottom floor.

It was unusually windy for the time of year, so Blake had opted to wear a cotton beanie to protect her sensitive ears. It was black, with Yang’s emblem neatly embroidered on the side. Her girlfriend had a whole draw filled with beanies and hats, so she had rummaged around until she found one that was loose enough to allow unrestricted movement of her feline traits.

She had brought one along for Felix, too, but he had the annoying habit of pulling off anything that covered his head. She had shoved it into the diaper bag after the third try and idly wondered if he just didn’t like things touching his ears; something she could easily sympathize with.

“We’re going to have to wake him,” she mumbles in displeasure, eyeing the faunus who had drifted off in his car seat during the drive. He’s drooling buckets onto the shoulder of his long-sleeved shirt, and Blake idly thinks that it’s a habit he’s adopted from Yang —a thought that’s quickly rendered invalid when she remembers that they don’t share a biological connection. 

“He’ll survive,” Yang shrugs as she unbuckles him from the car seat. She lifts him, and he immediately stirs awake with an unhappy whine.

“We should change his shirt. He’s drooled all over that one,” Blake says as she rummages through the baby bag to find a clean spare.

“Mommy’s being pedantic again, hey buddy? You’re just going to drool all over your clean shirt, too,” Yang coos at Felix who’s still frowning after being prematurely woken.

“Still, I want him to look clean when we get in there,” she says as she quickly strips off his shirt while Yang holds onto him. She puts on a fresh t-shirt —yellow with a cartoon dog face on the front— and then throws a lightweight cardigan over the top.

“You can take him,” Yang says as she reaches for the baby bag in Blake’s hand. “I’ll sign us in.” Felix grunts as he’s being passed over and quickly tucks himself into Blake’s chest. She had never seen Felix this grumpy before. According to Yang there had only been two occasions where his mood had become a problem: once when he was sick with a fever at 3 months old, and once when they tried to take him away from Taiyang for a nap.

Blake is a little apprehensive walking into the unfamiliar Childcare building. Yang had only been a handful of times, but she walks with an air of confidence (unsurprising, since Yang accomplished even the most menial tasks with a sense of boldness).

It doesn’t take long to sign in; Blake standing awkwardly with Felix in her arms while the blonde writes their names down on an attendance sheet. There’s a lady at the front desk who Yang addresses by name and she’s quickly introduced, but doesn’t have time to absorb her surroundings. Yang presses a gentle hand on the small of her back and leads her towards the lockers.

“Yang!” 

Her girlfriend glances up after quickly dumping the baby bag into an empty locker space, and beams at an approaching redhead.

“Hi, Celia.” Her strawberry blonde hair is up in a ponytail and her eyes are bright blue (the same colour as Weiss’ but without the sharp edge). She’s dressed in jeans and a green polo shirt with her name stitched onto the pocket. Her entire appearance gives her an aura of youth and kindness.

“It’s good to see you again,” the redhead beams at Yang, hand reaching out to brush against her arm above the elbow. Blake frowns but Yang immediately moves out of range when she motions towards her and Felix.

“Celia, this is my girlfriend, Blake,” Yang chirps, wrapping an arm around her hip. Celia’s smile falters but it’s so brief, Blake would have second guessed her eyes if she didn’t know better. But Celia’s attraction to Yang is obvious; even Yang seemed to pick up on it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Celia grins, albeit not as broadly. Blake offers a stiff smile in return before the redhead quickly shifts her attention to the sulking child in Blake’s arms. “And how’s my favourite little kitty faunus, today?” she asks as she ruffles the hair between Felix’s ears.

Felix lets out a loud sigh and leans away from Celia’s hand, pressing his nose into Blake’s hair. 

“He’s a bit grumpy because he fell asleep in the car,” Yang explains and Celia giggles in response. Blake can’t help thinking that there’s nothing funny about Yang’s comment, but the thought feels petty, so she brushes it aside. “Oh, before I forget, can you please add Blake’s name to Felix’s file?” Yang asks while she pulls out a form from her back pocket and hands it over. Celia nods with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Sure. Should I put her down as S.O of parent?” 

“Biological mother,” Yang corrects, without missing a beat and the redhead looks shocked. It dawns on Blake that she hadn’t realized the connection between her and Felix.

“O-oh. Sorry, I was just under the impression that you were his biological mother.” Her eyebrows pinch together in confusion, marring the freckled skin between her eyes. Yang barks out a laugh at the comment.

“Yeah right. We’re polar opposites,” she grins, poking Felix in the side. He utters a displeased grunt and Blake pins her with a disapproving look as if to say: ‘leave him alone,’ but she can’t help but smirk at his uncharacteristic grouchiness. 

“I guess I just assumed he took after his father,” Celia shrugs and Yang’s smile immediately falters. She recovers with a quick “Nope,” emphasizing the P with a pop. “He’s all Blake,” she says and Celia giggles again, obviously unaware that she’s broaching a sensitive subject.

“Well, I guess now that you’ve mentioned it, it’s hard not to notice the similarities.” That is an understatement. Maybe she’s bias, but Blake thinks their resemblance is borderline uncanny. “I guess that explains the eyes,” she smiles. _And the ears._

She knows Yang wants to mention it, but she holds her tongue (out of respect for Blake, she assumes). 

“I’ll go update his file, now. We’ve set up waterplay outside, by the way. I hope you brought a change of clothes,” Celia grins, touching Yang’s arm again before walking off towards the front desk. Blake doesn’t mind too much; she is confident in Yang’s loyalty to her, but she still doesn’t like Celia. Blatant flirting aside, it’s irresponsible to outwardly assume so much about family dynamics, especially with Vale’s diverse population. 

“Ready for some waterplay, little man?” Yang asks as she wraps an arm around Blake’s waist and nuzzles into her hair. She blushes at the public intimacy but then quickly realises that she’s only doing it to annoy Felix.

“You can take him, then,” Blake says firmly as she hands the clinging faunus over to Yang. She grins wickedly at her and Felix immediately tucks himself into the blonde’s wild mane of hair.

“Aww, my little kitten doesn’t like water,” Yang coos impishly. “What? Scared I’ll get you all wet?” she murmurs against Blake’s head, hot breath penetrating the fabric of her beanie and tickling against the fine hairs of her feline ear. The feeling causes her to visibly shiver, which Yang clearly notices but doesn’t comment on —thankfully.

“God, how did I not see that one coming?” Blake mutters sarcastically with a roll of her eyes. Yang looks as if the comment is a compliment and trots off towards the yard with their child.

_Their child._

Blake smiles fondly at the thought. They had started referring to Blake as ‘mommy’ and Yang as ‘mom’ to avoid confusion, but they sometimes used the titles interchangeably, without intending to.

She follows them and watches from underneath the veranda. Inside is relatively empty, only a few kids playing with toys on the carpet. Outside is mayhem, children of all ages running around the yard, parents trailing behind them with lacklustre enthusiasm. 

Yang sits down on the grass where they’ve set up a large trough of clear water, toys and cups scattered down the length of it. Felix settles in Yang’s lap and it doesn’t take long for both their shirts to get soaked, Yang laughing hysterically while Felix splashes at the water with excited enthusiasm; eyes blinking in surprise every time it douses his face.

His bad mood hadn’t lasted long —It never does. 

Yang had said they were polar opposites, but Blake thinks they share a lot of traits that most don’t notice. Felix was the happiest child she’d ever encountered, and she didn’t doubt that had something to do with the blonde’s bubbly nature.

She can’t help but smile despite the uneasiness in her chest; the feeling from earlier slowly being encased with warmth. Although it’s still there, she feels infinitely better. 

She forgets about Celia, forgets about neuroplasticity; about biological origins and outward assumptions, and goes over to join them instead, mentally preparing for the impromptu bath she’s about to receive at the hands of _their_ son.

Later that evening, when they’re lying in bed —Felix already wrapped and asleep in his crib— a question develops in her mind as she reads the last sentence of a chapter in her book. Yang is laying on her side, observing her with a quiet fondness. She does it every night and Blake finds it difficult to concentrate on her reading when her girlfriend’s eyes roam loops across her features. But she can’t bring herself to be bothered by it, even if it does take her twice as long to finish each chapter.

Finally done with her reading for the night, she places her bookmark between the pages and places it gently on her nightstand. 

“Did you name him Felix on purpose?” she asks quietly as she turns to face her girlfriend. Yang’s brows knit together in confusion.

“Uh, yeah? I mean, can you even ‘accidentally’ name a kid? Like, I intentionally wrote ‘Felix’ on his birth certificate, if that’s what you mean,” Yang answers, and she’s so confused by the question —and by Blake’s reaction when she starts to laugh at the literalistic answer.

“No, I mean, did you name him after Felix the Cat?” Blake elaborates through her quelling giggles. There’s a pause, and Blake finds it utterly adorable that she can practically see the gears working in Yang’s head.

“Who the cream is Felix the Cat?” she exclaims, immediately hearing her own words and snorting.  
”Oh, snap! Unintentional pun! Seriously, though, who’s Felix the Cat?” 

Blake watches Yang’s expressions shift with amusement.

“You’ve never heard of Felix the Cat? He’s a black and white, cartoon cat from the silent film era. He became very popular over the decades. They still made Felix cartoons when I was a child and I used to watch them with my dad in the mornings before he started work,” she explains.

“He’s somewhat of a pop culture icon these days,” she murmurs as an afterthought. Yang looks utterly mortified at the revelation.

“Oh my god. No wonder your dad hates me.” Yang hisses. “He thinks I gag named his grandson!”

Blake laughs.

“He doesn’t hate you.”

“Jesus, I was seriously confused when he was so opposed to calling him Felix, at first. Oh my god. Everything makes sense now. Your parents must think I’m some sort of... ignorant asshole,” Yang laments dramatically.

“Shhh!” Blake giggles, covering Yang’s mouth with a hand. “You’re going to wake him up. And they don’t think that. My mom thinks you’re delightful and dad just thinks you’re…”

“An idiot,” Yang finishes bluntly. Blake just smiles sweetly and moves her hand to cup her cheek.

“There are worse things people could think of you. He knows you mean well and he knows you care about us. That’s all that matters,” she soothes. Yang sighs with a frown but relents, scooting closer into Blake’s space.

“I bet Weiss knew about Felix the Cat and didn’t even say anything,” she grumbles, tucking her head under Blake’s chin.

“Oh, undoubtedly,” she agrees with an amused smile. “I like the name Felix, though, so what does it matter?”

“Well. I guess, as long as you’re happy,” she mumbles, trailing off as Blake starts to comb gentle fingers through thick, curly hair.

“How could I not be, when I have you?”

~

She wakes up with damp pyjamas, and hair matted around her neck; plastered to her forehead. It takes her a few moments to adjust but, despite the constriction in her lungs; the mass in her throat, she calms herself by listing all the things in her immediate vision. 

The bed, the sheets, the dim light coming from the street lamp outside. The glow of Yang’s alarm clock... By this point, she would usually glance down at her sleeping girlfriend, and her mind would drift into listing facts about Yang. But Yang isn’t beside her like she should be. Yang’s not in bed; she’s not even in the room. 

Dread swells in Blake’s chest. She throws the blankets off her legs and scrambles to her feet. As she rushes out the bedroom doorway, she slams into the solid figure of her girlfriend. Heart still thrumming in her chest, she chokes back a relieved sob and latches onto broad shoulders. Something still doesn’t feel right, though. 

Nothing about Yang in that moment suggested the peace of mind she’s so accustomed to gaining from the brawler’s warmth. That itself feeds the dread in Blake’s chest more than her initial absence.

She glances up into lilac eyes that glow slightly in the low light. Arms gently wrap around her waist but don’t draw her in; Yang encasing her like a human shield.

“I just got a call from the detective that worked your case. They found a match on the DNA from the night you were raped. He’s been linked to several other assaults. They have him in custody, and the police want to talk to you.”

“I don’t remember anything from that night, though,” Blake whispers. Her mind is overcrowded with jumbled, partial thoughts. She can’t identify a single emotion aside from confusion and the only prominent thought in her mind is that she should be angry, scared, upset. But she’s nothing; just confused. 

“I told them that. There are some legal things they need to go through before they can add your rape to the list of charges,” Yang explains huskily. Despite the tension in her muscles, Yang seems calm.

“O-okay.”

“They called tonight because he’s given up the names of two accomplices, but the Police haven’t been able to track them down, yet. It’s unlikely they know anything that can link back to you but, Detective Verdant wants a squad car outside our house for tonight, just in case.”

Blake’s not sure how to respond, or if a response is even expected at this point. With lips set in a firm line, she takes Yang’s hand and leads her back towards the bed. Guiding their bodies, Blake lays them down with the blonde pressed securely into her. She doesn’t have to ask for Yang to hold her. It comes naturally; muscular arms wrapping around her body so firmly that, under different circumstances, it would be uncomfortable. Tonight though, Blake hugs back just as tight.


	7. AbdiCATion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can't keep things angsty for too long, per usual. Going to try and pump out the last few chapters but probably won't have a chance to do that until after the weekend.
> 
> Thanks for the comments and kudos, guys. Always appreciated! :)

They spend about an hour at the Police station in downtown Vale. It’s only a five minute wait in the reception —which Blake finds eerily quiet for a law enforcement building— before the three of them are escorted into a private room down the hall, by a fit looking faunus officer. 

Yang is holding Felix because she couldn’t be bothered unpacking his pram from the back of the Touareg, and Blake doesn’t have the mental presence to argue with her this morning. Plus, it’s easier to move around indoors without it.

They’re greeted by two detectives that are seated at a table inside a barren looking room —it reminds her of all the interrogation rooms in prime-time cop shows, but she reasons that they probably all look the same because it’s just a neutral room with a table and chairs in the middle. 

The first detective apologises for the setting and explains that they’re required to conduct the meeting in an interview room for legal reasons. He tinkers with the TPR system on the table and asks permission to record the meeting.

It doesn’t take as long as she had expected it would. They state their full names for the record and then she signs a statement affirming that she will press charges; signs another which consents the use of Felix’s blood for a paternity test. The document states that the results may be used as evidence against the accused and Blake willingly agrees under two important conditions: 

Firstly, they would not be contacted about the results of the test. Blake didn’t care what the paternity test revealed. As far as she was concerned, Felix didn’t have a father; he had two mothers.

Secondly, all parental rights would be removed from Felix’s biological father.

They add her conditions to the document, and she signs the statement alongside Yang and the two detectives. After a couple of unobtrusive, straightforward questions, they thank Yang and Blake for their time, and turn off the TPR.

They’re home within two hours but Blake feels both mentally and physically drained, so they spend the rest of the day inside, watching Netflix on Yang’s laptop and eating snack food from the stash at the top of the pantry. 

Later in the afternoon, while Felix is napping beneath the dangling toys of his baby gym in the centre of the lounge rug, Blake and Yang snuggle intimately on the couch. The whole day has had a sullen atmosphere, and Blake is finally starting to feel it lift. They’re parallel on the sofa, face to face, and Blake has her arms around Yang’s waist to stop her from rolling off. 

There’s almost space between them, and Yang keeps going cross-eyed every time she tries to look at Blake directly. But she doesn’t want to move; can’t imagine a position that she’d prefer right now. 

“Have you spoken to Ozpin about getting Gambol Shroud from Beacon storage?” Yang asks with a yawn. Blake hums and shakes her head. Yang’s breath somehow smells like Honeycomb and almonds. Blake doesn’t think it’s fair that someone’s breath can actually smell pleasant.

“Not yet. I should probably do that soon, though.”

“There’s no rush,” Yang shrugs. “It would be nice to have it on hand but it’s not like you need it yet. We haven’t even talked about when you’re going to start taking on missions again.” There’s a brief pause while the blonde considers a few things.

“If,” she corrects. “Do you want to go back to being a huntress? We haven’t talked about that either.” Blake shrugs uncommittedly.

“I’ve thought about it. I have to go back eventually,” she says and Yang frowns.

“You don’t have to,” she murmurs. “It’s not an issue if you don’t want to go back to work. I can support you.” The sentiment is so sincere that Blake wants to squish Yang’s cheeks together and kiss her openly on the mouth. But if she moves her arms, Yang will definitely fall off the couch. She’s already hanging off the edge.

“You can be a stay at home mom and I’ll be your sugar daddy,” Yang grins and Blake snorts in amusement. 

“And now I’ll never be able to look at you the same. Thanks for that,” she rolls her eyes.

“What?” Yang asks with a laugh. “You don’t like the idea of me being your sugar daddy?”

“Please stop saying that. Besides, you wouldn’t be a sugar daddy, you’d be a sugar mamma,” she corrects, and Yang looks scandalized but it’s so exaggerated that Blake bursts into giggles.

“Are you assuming my gender?” she accuses in mock offense.

“I’ve never seen a man with breasts as great as yours,” she retorts, smirking with a quick glance down towards Yang’s chest. She’s wearing a loose t-shirt and thick, opaque leggings so unfortunately, there’s no cleavage to further Blake’s point. But she doesn’t need it; they both know how great Yang’s boobs are.

“That’s awfully ignorant of you, Blakey. I thought you were a fighter for equality and freedom of expression. If I want to call myself a dude and still have great tits, then I should have the right to.”

“That’s true,” Blake agrees. “But you don’t want to call yourself a dude.” Yang laughs, and the sound is so light and warm, that Blake imagines if you could trap it in a balloon, it would float up into the sky and disappear.

“No, I don’t.”

~

It doesn’t take long for Weiss and Ruby’s home to feel like an extension of their own. Their backdoor is usually unlocked, so Ruby comes over for short, frequent visits. Blake sometimes returns the favour because, although it’s nice to have space and privacy, she’s used to being in regular contact with her teammates.

She’s sitting on Weiss and Ruby’s couch, flicking through one of the lifestyle magazines that the heiress keeps neatly stacked on the shelf beneath their coffee table, when it happens: the first real-time girl talk she and Weiss have had since she’d woken up from a coma.

“Yang mentioned you don’t have to testify in court,” the white-haired girl says as she hands Blake a tea and sits down beside her with a coffee.

“There’s nothing for me to testify. I don’t remember anything that happened so, other than pressing charges and giving them Felix’s blood, there’s not much else I can do to help the case,” Blake shrugs, turning the page. She scans an article about online shopping but doesn’t really pay attention to what she’s reading.

“I suppose that’s true. She also mentioned that your panic attacks have been getting worse.” It’s said so carefully, Blake feels like Weiss is expecting her to lash out in response. She sighs and flips the magazine closed before returning it to the pile —slightly off centre because she knows it will grate on her friend’s nerves, and subtly annoying Weiss is her best source of entertainment next to watching Yang do it.

“They’re not worse. They’re not better, either. I still feel a little lost, like I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be doing with myself. And it’s not boredom because between Yang and Felix, there’s no time for boredom,” she sighs. She’s tried to explain this to both Yang and Dr. Fawn, but she’s never been able to properly articulate her inwards experiences. 

“Sometimes, I feel dread or I feel panic or fear; and that’s expected. I felt those things before. But I was raped, Weiss, and the strongest emotion I can draw from acknowledging that is unease. It just feels like everything else has been swept under a blanket, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out how to find it and clear it all out.”

Weiss nods and watches her for a long time, but it doesn’t feel invasive. It just feels like she’s patiently waiting for Blake to continue, if she needs to.

“I feel… stuck. I’m happy with my life, but I don’t feel like I can move forward. The problem is, I don’t know what’s holding me back, either.

Finally, her friend lets out a quiet hum of contemplation. She takes a slow sip from her coffee before setting it down on a rose shaped coaster and folding her hands into her lap.

“Maybe it’s not something you need to actively figure out. Some things just take time to process. I imagine it’s especially difficult to process something so traumatic when you have no memory of the event.”

Blake nods and looks down at her hands, picking at a hangnail. It reminds her that Felix is due to have his nails cut. He’s a tactile child and always ends up with shallow scratches across his face when they grow too long.

“Why don’t you and Yang go on a date?” she suggests, tone suddenly chipper.

“What?” the faunus balks, confused at the sudden switch in both mood and topic.

“Well, maybe you just need to relieve some stress. Go out, have fun. Forget about being a victim for one night. Forget about being a mother —Ruby and I will look after Felix— forget about everything and just go spend some time with your girlfriend. Even if it doesn’t help, I’m sure you’ll still enjoy yourself,” she says, and for a moment, Blake considers it. 

There’s no harm, and at the very least, she and Yang can finally have a proper first date. 

Maybe it’s time to stop trying to fix herself. If her mind isn’t ready to move forward, then forcing it is probably the worst thing she can do.

“Okay. I guess that sounds like a good idea.” 

“Of course, it does,” Weiss says haughtily, “All my ideas are good.”

~

“You don’t have to be nervous.”

Blake licks her lips as she carefully applies thick mascara to her lashes. She’s almost done with her makeup and then, once she’s slipped into her new dress, she’ll be ready for Yang to “pick her up.”

When Ruby had heard about their plans, she had insisted that Blake use her and Weiss’ house to get ready.

_Then it can be like a real first date!_

Blake had wanted to tell the younger girl that technically, it was a real first date since she and Yang had never been out as a couple, without Felix. But Ruby had seemed so thrilled at the idea that Blake couldn’t bring herself to decline. 

So, now she stands in the bathroom of the Schnee/Rose residence, applying makeup while her friend observes her from the doorway with a meticulous type of scrutiny.

“I’m not nervous,” Blake answers sharply.

She _is_ nervous, and Weiss can see straight through her; that much is obvious. But the reason behind her nerves isn’t something Blake is particularly comfortable discussing with the heiress, despite their solid friendship. 

“Right,” Weiss rolls her eyes, that special Schnee sarcasm practically dripping down her chin. Blake snaps the lid of her mascara back into place and turns to her friend with a smile.

“Right,” she echoes cheerfully. “How’s my makeup?” she asks. What good is getting ready at a friend’s house if you can’t fish for compliments.

“Perfect. But you already knew that,” Weiss says. “What I want to know is what’s gotten your feathers all ruffled… or would it be more appropriate to say ‘fur’?” Weiss smirks. Blake snorts at the weak pun. Yang would be so proud.

“Trust me, you don’t actually want to know,” she mutters as she brushes past Weiss and into the bedroom. Laid out on the bed is her dress. It’s new —she’d picked it out with Weiss’ help, especially for the occasion— so Yang hasn’t seen it yet. But the real surprise is the lingerie she had purchased _without_ Weiss (which Yang has also not seen).

“You know, once upon a time, you made a promise to always talk to us when something was bothering you.” Weiss pulls out the big guns and she’s aware that it’s a tactless move, but she rarely feels bad about throwing it at Blake, because it always — always! — gets the faunus to open up.

Blake stares long and hard into Weiss’ piercing eyes. Neither want to back down because they both know it’s always Blake who folds first. She does this time, too, with an annoyed sigh. The faunus bites the inside of her cheek and decides that the best way to handle this conversation is to give Weiss exactly what she wants —albeit in the most uncomfortable way so that she’s not the only one who has to suffer.

“I want to have sex with Yang, tonight,” Blake says evenly, even though her cheeks are about as red as Ruby’s hood. It doesn’t take long for Weiss’ complexion to catch up, although it’s more comical when Weiss blushes this red because of the significant shift in skin tone. Pale skin is both a blessing and a curse.

The heiress opens her mouth to respond but nothing comes out. It takes a moment before she closes it again and her eyes narrow in contemplation. Blake can see the gears working in her head, as she watches an unimpressed scowl deepen into Weiss’ expression.

“You’ve not been intimate yet, and you’re nervous because it’s your first time,” she concludes.

Technically Blake isn’t a virgin but as far as she is concerned, it will still be her ‘first time.’

“And Yang’s not a virgin,” Blake says, causing Weiss to scoff in a way that so exaggerated but still seems like a sensible reaction exactly because it’s coming from _Weiss._

“Yes, I’m well aware,” she says pointedly and then her eyes soften with a gentle sigh. “I’m also aware that Yang hasn’t been with anyone since you started going out after graduation. She’ll probably be just as nervous as you are.” 

Blake gives a gentle nod in acknowledgement. She had figured as much. From what Yang had told her about life during the coma, she just assumed the blonde wouldn’t have time for another relationship. And despite her reputation from Beacon, she wasn’t someone who treated sex like a trivial pastime.

“The best advice I can give is; don’t force it, especially under your circumstances. You’re sharing a house and a bed. It will happen when it needs to happen,” Weiss offers quietly. After a moment of consideration, Blake looks up at her friend and smiles simply.

“Thank you, Weiss,” she says before the sincerity morphs into impish amusement. “I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes.”

Weiss’s look of utter disgust does nothing but send Blake into giggles. She dodges two consecutive pillows that the heiress hurls at her, before snatching the dress from the bed and dashing into the bathroom.


	8. Sexual CATalyst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was listening to Calvin Harris when I mentally drafted this chapter.
> 
> Also, some heavy petting, but no smut (sorry about the tease :P)
> 
> Thanks everyone for all the comments! I love reading what you guys think of each chapter.

Yang’s reaction is arguably better than what she was initially expecting. 

Yang is shameless, so she expects the open staring. What Blake doesn’t expect, is the shy smile that tilts the corners of her mouth until it’s reaching across her cheeks, and the light flush against her skin. 

“I can’t think of anything to say right now that doesn’t make me sound like a total cheese ball,” Yang murmurs, lilac roaming down her form, over and over, flicking up to meet amber eyes between each cycle. 

“Say it anyway,” Blake requests.

“You are so, so beautiful,” she responds softly, and it’s so earnest that Blake starts to feel like her heart is melting inside her chest.

“Looked in a mirror lately?” Blake quips lamely, and the blonde’s smile widens ever so slightly.

“Seriously though, that dress!” Yang exclaims.

The dress is burgundy with an A-line skirt and a fitted, lace bodice; neckline straight and low beneath her collarbones, sleeves that leave her shoulders bare. The hem of the dress reaches mid-thigh, showing off slim, pale legs which she’s moderately self-conscious off. She had considered wearing leggings underneath, but Weiss had talked her out of it and, with the way Yang is looking at her, she’s glad she took the heiress’ advice.

Her hair is curled at the tips and flows down her back like a silky, black veil. She imagines Yang running warm fingers through it and a small shiver runs up her spine. 

“You’re wearing the one you wore to graduation,” Blake notes with a small smile. It’s a simple, white dress with a low cowled neck and loose ruffles in the knee-high skirt. There’s enough cleavage to tease, but it’s still modest enough that it doesn’t look inappropriate outside of a nightclub.

“Yeah, now I feel kind of dull in comparison,” Yang chuckles sheepishly and Blake shakers her head in vigorous detest.

“No, don’t. You look gorgeous. And I’m happy you wore this dress. It reminds me to the night you first kissed me,” she explains coyly. 

“Uh, yeah. That’s kind of the reason I wore it,” Yang admits, just as shy.

Her hair is up in a messy bun, loose locks framing her jawline —she had worn it the same at graduation— and Blake can’t help but swoon at the idea of kissing along that smooth, exposed neck. Her lips tingle at the fantasy, but she quickly pushes it aside; that can wait until later.

“You know, there are places you can flirt that aren’t my front door,” Weiss huffs sarcastically from behind them, arms crossed over her chest, single eyebrow raised.

“Keep your panties on, princess. We’re leaving,” Yang rolls her eyes before taking Blake’s hand in her own and leading her back towards their garage.

“So, we’re going all out on the clichés tonight,” Yang says as she pulls out the driveway. “Like, we’re sharing a dessert and I fully expect you to offer me a bite of your food from across the table,” she grins.

“Are you sure you don’t want to just order a bowl of spaghetti to share and we can go the Lady and the Tramp route? Spoiler: it ends with a kiss.” Yang looks scandalized.

“Did you just call me a tramp?”

Blake bursts into laughter and Yang just smiles at the sound.

“Also, I’m taking you out dancing afterwards so, if any guys try to hit on you, I’ll be decking them in the solar plexus.”

“Duly noted,” Blake grins. “Not the testicles? I hear that’s much more painful.”

Yang scrunches up her face in disgust and says, “I love you, but I’m not touching a stranger’s balls for you, even if it’s only through the pants… oh wow, that sounded so wrong.” She looks comically distressed now, and Blake is struggling to contain her laughter. “I’m not going anywhere near balls, not even to punt some moron in the groin,” she rephrases.

“Well, that’s a relief,” Blake grins. 

~

Yang takes her to dinner at an upscale sashimi restaurant, even though she doesn’t eat fish. When Blake had pointed this out, Yang had only shrugged.

_I’m sure I’ll find something on the menu that’s not completely unappetizing. ___

__Yang ends up ordering Karaage chicken, and they pick out a few sides of pickled vegetables to share. When their meals come, Blake teasingly offers her small piece of raw salmon, the fish pinched lightly between the ends of her chopsticks, and Yang takes it, much to Blake’s surprise —although the way she scrunches up her face afterward as she swallows is enough to send Blake into giggles._ _

__There are few moments where she’s not smiling, and Yang rarely takes her eyes off amber. The feeling is warmth and coquetry and delight. She feels the instinctive urge to always be touching her, holding hands or brushing shoulders. She can’t keep her hands away, and Yang only encourages her; eyes gleaming, always in her personal space. But Blake wants her there —god, she wants to be closer, even._ _

__It only gets worse once they’re inside the club. Yang orders them drinks and she sips at a whiskey sour while her girlfriend drinks a strawberry sunrise. In hindsight, maybe they should have taken a taxi into town, but Blake’s glad they didn’t when she remembers that alcohol and sex is rarely a good idea when you’re (mentally) a virgin._ _

__It doesn’t take long before they’re on the dance floor. It’s hot in the centre, and they’re both sweating, but Blake revels in it._ _

__The music is all upbeat synth and thick basslines. It pulses in her heart; the lines swarm her mind, and it’s all love songs. Lyrics about confessions and sex and falling in love over summer. Yang knows the words to every song, and although she can barely hear it, their bodies are so close that Blake can feel the words on her cheeks as the blonde exhales them._ _

__She almost dies when the sensual baseline of Ginuwine’s ‘Pony’ starts to blare through the speakers. There’s a roar of appreciative recognition from the crowd, and it feels like the dancefloor heat rises by ten degrees. Blake’s skin matches that heat when Yang starts to move against her; hips rolling, lips mouthing the words against her neck._ _

__They don’t even make it to the end of the second verse before Blake is tugging her towards the exit._ _

__The end up making out against the car, Yang pressing her up against the passenger door. Her hands are cupping the backs of Blake’s thighs beneath the hem of her dress like she wants to lift her and wrap slender legs around her waist. Her kisses are demanding and impatient, and all Blake can do is open her lips wider; let the blonde explore every inch of her mouth with an eager, warm tongue._ _

__Blake’s rational mind is in suspension, which seems to happen a lot around her girlfriend. She runs her hands up from their place on feminine hips, and frames Yang’s sternum with tender fingers. She’s hesitant at first but, with the way Yang is kissing her, the shyness quickly dissolves, and she slips her hands up over Yang’s breasts._ _

__The blonde tears her mouth away from Blake with a ragged exhale._ _

__“God, you can’t do that here, Blake,” she whines gruffly. “It’s hard enough to keep my composure when you’re in that dress,” she finishes her thought, and Blake suddenly feels powerful._ _

__“Maybe I don’t want you to keep your composure,” she challenges, gliding a thumb over a nipple. The layers of material beneath her hands do nothing to stifle the sensation (if the moan that erupts from the blonde’s throat is any indication)._ _

__Blake relents, slipping her hands back down. She can be patient if it means she can hear Yang make that sound again, hopefully louder and unrestrained when Blake gets her hands on her without the fabric barrier._ _

__“Let’s go,” she says, kissing Yang one last time before pushing her away by the hips._ _

__“Right,” the blonde nods, grabbing the keys from her small shoulder bag and darting around the car to get into the driver seat._ _

__The air is a little clearer, now that there’s space between them. But Blake still feels Yang’s fire in her lower belly, and she again feels that overwhelming urge to be in contact with her. She places an innocent hand on Yang’s thigh as they drive through town, towards home, and Yang rests her own on top when she doesn’t need both on the wheel._ _

__“Before my head gets all muddled again, we should probably talk about this,” Yang says as they leave the outskirts of the city. The drive home is under 20 minutes, but there’s not much to talk about, either — not much that Blake wants to talk about tonight, anyway._ _

__“I want you,” Blake answers before Yang can even ask it._ _

__“Well yeah, who doesn’t?” she smirks but then turns serious again. “Seriously though, I don’t want you to think that we need to do this. Like, I’m happy just cuddling and making out-“_ _

__“I’m not,” she interrupts, and Yang pauses, heat visibly rising to her cheeks._ _

__“Okay then. I guess that settles that,” she laughs awkwardly after a moment._ _

__“I don’t feel like we’re rushing into this if that’s what you’re worried about. I’ve wasted over a year of my life unconscious in a hospital bed. I don’t want to wait for anything else, not when it comes to you,” she explains._ _

__“Yeah, but it’s okay if you need more time. I’m not going anywhere. I want you to be ready,” she says. Blake thinks the little crease in her forehead is adorable and suddenly, she recalls Yang’s words to her father from the night of the Welcome Home party._ _

__“I want to spend my life with you,” she says, lacing their hands together over Yang’s thigh. “I don’t see why we should postpone anything when it just feels right to be with you,” she reflects Yang’s words back at her, and the blonde smirks._ _

__“I _knew_ you were listening to that,” she laughs, and Blake just shrugs._ _

__“I have sensitive hearing.”_ _

__“I know,” Yang says as she pulls into their driveway and parks inside the garage. “But I want to know what else of yours is sensitive,” she says huskily. Reaching over the dash, she cups Blake’s cheek and lures her in for a kiss. It doesn’t last long because the angle is uncomfortable and why make out in the car when there’s a perfectly good bed in the room beside them? But it’s still sensual, and Yang still manages to slip her tongue in for a moment to run across Blake’s bottom lip._ _

__She shudders at the thought of putting that tongue to work somewhere else —Yang seems eager to use it, after all._ _

__They stumble into the house through the garage, Yang firmly holding Blake against her body while she unlocks the door, unwilling to separate from her faunus girlfriend. Blake can feel her everywhere, even parts of her body that she’s not touching feel like they’re being caressed by Yang’s warm aura._ _

__When they hit the bed, Yang falls backwards, arms reaching out behind her to steady her body against the mattress. Blake takes the opportunity to swivel around, pulling her hair to the side to expose the zipper of her dress. Yang takes the hint and carefully slides it down to the small of her back. With a gentle shimmy, it pools to the floor around her feet._ _

__Yang’s behind her before she can turn back around, kissing along her shoulder and cupping her breasts through the strapless lace bra she had purchased for tonight. She sighs in delight, lilts her head to the side and covers Yang’s hands with her own, encouraging her to squeeze._ _

__“You’re so sexy,” Yang murmurs against her shoulder, hands leaving modest breasts to slide down the flat of her stomach and across the curve of her hips. Blake struggles to control her breathing, lip pinched between her teeth as Yang turns her around; buries her nose into black tresses and runs her fingers daintily along the edge of her panties, tracing the lace across her thighs._ _

__“I want this off,” Blake says breathlessly, reaching around to fumble for the zipper of Yang’s dress. She doesn’t waste time pulling it down when she finds it, and as she pushes the dress down over Yang’s shoulders, over her breasts, past her hips, her heart rate slowly increases; speeding up with every inch of skin that’s revealed._ _

__She’s seen Yang in her underwear before, but not in this lighting, not with smouldering lilacs staring intently; red seeping into the edges of her eyes. She’s suddenly unsure why she bothered buying expensive lingerie for their first time because all she wants to do is strip them both bare and press herself against her girlfriend’s muscular body._ _

__She’s all hard muscle and soft edges, and Blake bites her lip again as she reaches behind herself to unclip her bra._ _

__The air around them heats up, and Blake realizes that it’s Yang; aura flaring up as her arousal grows. Blake can hear her swallow thickly as red irises roam meticulously over exposed breasts. She feels vulnerable, but not scared. With a gentle tug of the hand at her hip, Yang pulls Blake against her as she drops back down to the mattress, urging the faunus’ thighs to settle either side of her._ _

__Yang nuzzles her nose into the flesh of her breasts, nudging a nipple before giving it a sweet kiss. Blake inhales, watches with flaring nostrils as the blonde pays gentle attention to the erect little bud._ _

__“I want to touch you,” Yang murmurs against her flesh. “I want to be inside you. I want you to come on my fingers, in my mouth; I want everything,” she breathes, breath like steam as it rolls against Blake’s skin._ _

__“Fuck, yes!” Blake groans, cupping her jaw and dragging her in for a heated kiss. Yang’s fingers ease up her thighs and languidly play with the hem of her panties. Slowly; gently; firmly, she runs the tips of two fingers along the crotch, and Blake’s breath catches in her throat._ _

__In that second where her lungs seize up, something snaps inside her. It’s unpleasant and sudden; like a bucket of cold water being dumped on her head. A flurry of emotions encase her heart, and she’s not aroused anymore. There’s no warmth, no coquetry, no delight. It’s all swept away with an overpowering sense of anguish._ _

__Tears immediately prickle against her eyes, and there’s no stopping them. They spill over and splash against Yang’s cheeks, causing the blonde to pull back in surprise. Concern immediately creases into her brow, and she pulls her hand from between Blake’s legs._ _

__“Fuck, Blake, I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?” she asks. Blake bites her lip to try and stifle a sob. She hiccups through it and convulsion’s wrack her chest as she shakes her head feebly._ _

__“Blake? What’s wrong? Please, tell me what I did wrong,” she pleads, tears welling in her own eyes. Blake feels guilt, overwhelming, stronger than what it should be. It sits in her chest and rattles around with each sob that shakes her. She doesn’t know what to do so she buries her face into Yang’s neck and cries._ _

__Yang wraps her arms around Blake in a vice grip, rocking slightly as the faunus sobs uncontrollably into her neck. This is nothing like her other panic attacks, and Yang can’t do anything but hold the girl; let her cry into her shoulder._ _

__Blake’s mind is muddled. Her breathing is laboured, and her eyes are already itchy and swollen from the tears that spill relentlessly. Every unpleasant emotion; dread, fear, anger, guilt, it all morphs together and steadily expands, like a snowball rolling down a mountain, until it hits her trachea. The mass sits in her throat, and the ice around it shatters, bit by bit, with each convulsing sob; slowly breaking down and melting back into rational thought._ _

__She cries for a solid fifteen minutes before her wails start to subside and simmer down into small whimpers and irregular hiccups. Her chest is still weighted, but it’s at least bearable now. It doesn’t feel like it’s going to crush her anymore._ _

__She’s not sure why it all came surging forward now, —and all at once— but she’s not in the mood to dwell, so she stays tucked into Yang’s embrace, and lets her girlfriend rock them gently._ _

__“You didn’t hurt me,” she finally says, voice raspy from overuse. “I just… I don’t know. I feel a little better now, though,” she explains as she pulls back slightly to look at the blonde._ _

__There are still tears in Yang’s lilac eyes, and she feels the guilt surface again, but it’s not painful like it had been before._ _

__“That was kind of scary,” Yang admits. “It didn’t seem like your run of the mill anxiety attack.” Blake wipes at her eyes, mascara smudging along her fingers._ _

__“No,” she agrees. “I think... it was like all the pent-up trauma that Dr. Shaw keeps talking about; it’s like the fucking dam just broke.” She grumbles, and although she’s now exhausted, she feels lighter. Yang leans across the bed awkwardly and grabs a tissue box from the nightstand._ _

__“Thanks,” Blake mutters as she grabs a few and starts to clean her face._ _

__“I know it probably felt like shit, but it’s probably a good thing that it’s all out,” Yang says as she dabs at her own eyes._ _

__“Hmm,” she hums in agreement. “Some warning would have been nice though. Or some control. I’m sorry that it ruined our evening,” Blake sighs as she rests her forehead against Yang’s._ _

__“Definitely didn’t ruin the evening. I still had a great time with you tonight. This was just… a minor hiccup.” Blake can’t help but smile at her girlfriend. She doesn’t bother asking if it’s some kind of pun. Coming from Yang is enough evidence, even if she doesn’t completely catch the joke._ _

__“I love you so much,” she whispers._ _

__“Yeah, I love you too!” Yang mumbles, placing a chaste kiss against the shell of her ear._ _

__“You know, I’ve pretty much already seen you naked. We could light some candles, take a bath. Sex is obviously off the table for tonight, but I think it would be nice to just cuddle, skin against skin.” Yang suggests._ _

__Blake smiles and thinks of all the nights they had spent in bed together, snuggling in their underwear with Felix nestled between them. “That sounds perfect.”_ _


	9. New Bekittens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. Fair warning, it’s short. But I'm really happy with it so I don't want add anything else.
> 
> Many thanks to everyone who has commented and left kudos, or even if you're just here to read it. 
> 
> Happy days, everyone. Enjoy.

Blake wakes up the next morning with the realization that she had slept through the night. She didn’t have any repressed nightmares; she didn’t wake up in the dark, drenched in cold sweat. In fact, she slept quite heavily which is evident in the way she groggily comes to, sprawled diagonally across the bed. Yang is on her stomach beneath Blake’s knees, head hanging off the side of the mattress and hair spilling onto the carpet where all the blankets had been thrown.

After their bath, they hadn’t bothered to dress properly, so they had both ended up sleeping in just underwear. The weather isn’t quite cold enough to worry about pyjamas outside of modesty, especially with Yang sleeping beside her. With a mild groan, she pulls herself out of bed and throws on her kimono, heading into the kitchen to start breakfast.

Over the next week, Blake takes note of the differences in her psyche. Her sleeping schedule has improved, and she hasn’t had another panic attack since the night of her breakdown. She spends an hour in Dr. Fawn’s office on Friday, and they go through the changes. Blake tells her that she feels lighter; like she’s ready to move on.

It’s not a cure-all, and she hadn’t expected it to be. She had still been raped and there were still memories missing prior to the attack. There’s nothing she can do to change that, but she can accept it. 

Blake relinquishes her trauma to the forces beyond her control. There’s still the unsettling dread that sits in the pit of her stomach, but it’s not consistent anymore, and she doesn’t feel like it’s holding her down. Instead, she deals with each problem as it comes. She has Felix and she has Yang, so no issue is big enough to intimidate her.

Dr. Fawn suggests a range of therapy methods that can help ease her into the emotional expression: NET, acupuncture, meditation. Blake’s happy to try anything that doesn’t end with her having another breakdown, although Fawn doubts she’ll experience anything of that magnitude without experiencing further trauma.

They schedule for the same time the following week, and Blake leaves with a referral to a remedial therapist and a content smile. 

Yang is waiting with Felix like always, and the three of them head to Vale kindergarten for Felix’s weekly Play Group.

On Saturday night, they spend the evening in the backyard. Ruby and Yang set up a firepit, and they sit around it, toasting marshmallows with team JNPR.

Blake sits with Felix in her lap; grins while she watches Ruby feed him globs of melted marshmallow from the tip of her finger. Weiss keeps making comments, telling the younger girl to be extra careful not to burn him.

_I’m not entirely comfortable watching you put something that was just on fire into his mouth._

Yang shoves an Irish coffee into her hands and tells her to relax. Blake just hands Ruby another marshmallow to toast.

The following week, Blake calls Ozpin about retrieving Gambol Shroud from Beacon. She’s not expecting him to offer her a job, but that’s precisely what he does. 

She’s shocked at first; doesn’t know how to respond, before she tells him that she’ll have to speak with Yang first. The job isn’t at Beacon though, it’s at Signal.

“Great! If you want it, you should take it. We don’t even have to move house,” Yang says when she tells her, casually turning back to shovel another spoon of baby food into Felix’s eager mouth. He’s still an enthusiastic eater, but strangely, he hasn’t caught up to the other kids his age —he’s still so small. Blake worries about it sometimes, but the doctors assure her that he’s healthy, and Yang just jokes that she’s the alpha, so he’s not allowed to get bigger than her, anyway. 

Blake takes the job on a three-month trial period. She doesn’t start until the new year though, so she’s still got a few months before she needs to prepare.

“You can still go on hunts when you want to. Qrow used to disappear all the time when he was working at Signal. They’d just get one of the on-call professors to sub,” Yang tells her.

Honestly, it sounds perfect, and although she still has the occasional panic attack, it’s finally starting to feel like her life is piecing back together. They spend Christmas with her parents, and Taiyang stays with them over New Years.

They host the NYE party in their backyard and although it’s cold, they all rug up and light the fire again. Taiyang doesn’t drink, so Yang has put him on official Felix duty —like it was a choice in the first place —and Felix refuses to let anyone else hold him for the entire night.

They sip on hot toddies by the fire and have a timer to take shots of fireball every hour. By 11:30pm, Blake is well past tipsy. She sways with Yang on the porch, dancing slowly to an upbeat pop song. They’re entirely out of rhythm, but she doesn’t care.

“Blakey,” Yang smiles serenely, eyes glassy, but bright as the flames from the bonfire flicker against the sheen. There’s only 10 minutes left before midnight, and Weiss has started to take roll, checking everyone is present for it. Ruby is running around with Nora, overfilling everyone’s drinks. “So you don’t run out before midnight,” Ruby grins while Nora spills vodka all over Jaune from his overflowing cup. He doesn’t notice until his pants are soaked with cheap, jet fuel vodka, and the two girls have already scampered off to harass Neptune.

Yang leans in and leaves a long, sweet kiss against Blake’s lips as they sway clumsily. When she pulls back, she presses their foreheads together and whispers, “Marry me?”

Blake takes a moment to process the words and, during that moment, Yang reaches into the pocket of her yellow parker.

“I want to spend my life with you,” she smiles softly and pulls out a small box. “I don’t see why we should postpone our relationship when it just feels right to be with you,” she quotes, opening the box to reveal a white gold band with an onyx stone set in the centre, rows of tiny amethysts trailing down the side. 

Blake doesn’t even need to think before she responds.

“Yes. Holy shit, yes!” she grins, eyes leaving the ring to look up into lilac irises. “Really?” she laughs —because it just seems so sudden and so spontaneous. But Yang is offering her a ring, so there was at least a little forethought in the proposal.

“No,” Yang drawls with an exaggerated eye roll. “This is all just an elaborate prank, although now I feel bad because you said yes. I was actually going to break up with you,” she smirks, and Blake slaps her against the shoulder. 

“Shut up and give me my ring,” she huffs, but the feign exasperation quickly yields to the grin that spreads across her face again. Yang mirrors her delight, and takes the ring out of the box to slip onto Blake’s finger.

“Do you like the ring? We can exchange it if you’d prefer something more traditional,” Yang asks, a thread of uncertainty in her tone.

“No. It’s perfect,” Blake assures her, bringing her hand up to cup a rosy cheek. “You’re perfect,” she says and leans in to press their lips together.

“God, you guys can’t even wait like, two minutes?” Ruby exclaims, breaking them apart. They look at her in confusion. “It’s almost midnight!” she shouts, bounding over to Weiss and wrapping her in a bear hug from behind.

“Yeah, stop being antisocial and get over here,” Taiyang hollers from his chair in front of the fire. Felix is asleep against his chest, unphased by the noise around him. 

“Should we tell them?” Blake asks with a smile as they turn towards the group. Yang shrugs indifferently.

“They’ll figure it out. If they don’t, then we’ll tell them tomorrow,” she says as they take their place between Pyrrha and Weiss —who still has Ruby attached to her back.

“I can’t kiss you like this,” Weiss giggles. Weiss is always giggly when she drinks, and Blake finds it unbearably cute, especially when she’s interacting with Ruby.

Jaune signals them in, and they start to count down from ten.  
“Ten, nine, eight…”

Blake turns towards her girlfriend, and they interlace their fingers together.

“…seven, six, five, four…

She can’t even hold back a smile anymore. She’s so happy, and the feeling flutters around in her chest like a swarm of butterflies, and makes her cheeks feel numb —or maybe she’s just drunk.

“…three two one. Happy New Year!” The group calls excitedly, and everyone turns to their partner to share the first kiss of the year. 

Blake smiles at Yang, the feel of warm metal encircling her finger. She lifts both hands to caress cheeks that are tinged pink from the cold and the alcohol. 

“Happy New year, Blake,” Yang smiles.

“Happy New Year, Yang.” 

Their lips meet to the sound of thundering fireworks, and Blake thinks the colours and the sounds match her heart.


End file.
